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While Jermain Taylor is still celebrating his stunning upset of longtime middleweight champion and consensus pound-for-pound number one Bernard Hopkins on Saturday night, IBF #1 Sam Soliman is putting the final touches on his preparation for his tune-up fight against Fernando Zuniga which will take place this Thursday at the Palace Indian Gaming Center in Lemoore, California on a Goossen-Tutor promoted card. The fight will be televised on ‘The Best Damn Sports Show Period’.
Speaking to Doghouse Boxing before he flew out to the States, Soliman, who was originally scheduled to face Tarvis Simms before the unbeaten southpaw withdrew from the fight, said he wouldn’t be at all surprised if Taylor sprung the upset on the wily old champ.
“Taylor is a hungry, younger underdog and every hungry young underdog in the past six month has been winning,” reasoned Soliman, 30-7 (12). “How many underdogs do you want in a row?
“I’m not going to be surprised if something happens with Jermain and he pulls it off. Not only that, he’s been wanting it all his life and this is his opportunity.”
The result of the Saturday’s fight is bitter sweet for Soliman, who would have liked nothing more than to be the one to remove the king from his throne.
“Everyone knows I hope Bernard wins because I want to fight him,” said Soliman. “But if Jermain wins he’s the champ and I’ll fight him. I’ve wanted to fight the champ for the last three years. That’s what any real champion would want.”
But the reality is a fight with Taylor is unlikely to happen.
After Soliman agreed to postpone his mandatory so that the Hopkins-Taylor fight could be made, the IBF mandated that the winner fight Soliman within 90 days of the fight. But with Taylor seemingly committed to a rematch with Hopkins on October 1st, it appears increasingly likely that the IBF will strip Taylor of their title, paving the way for Soliman to get his long awaited shot against either Kingsley Ikeke or Felix Sturm for the vacant strap.
But first Soliman must get past Zuniga, who’s main claim to fame is stopping middleweight prospect Troy Rowland by 7th round TKO in his last fight. With a record of 23-7 (18), Zuniga has only been stopped once despite sharing the ring with renowned punchers Charles Brewer, Thomas Tate, William Joppy and the rugged but limited Kenny Ellis. If Soliman lacks motivation or focus this could be another upset in the making, but in all reality it’s far more likely that the 31-year-old Melbournian will box his way to a comfortable decision victory.
“I want to say thanks to Dan Goossen and Stuart Duncan,” said Soliman. “With Dan Goossen promoting me, Stuart Duncan managing me and Dave Hedgcock training me, I’ve got a really good team behind me and without those three in my corner I wouldn’t been be where I am.”
In the co-feature former IBF cruiserweight champion Vassiliy Jirov will take on Orlin Norris at heavyweight, while Jessica Rakoczy defends her IBA women’s lightweight titles against the well credentialed Jane Couch, with the vacant WBC women’s lightweight title also on the line. Talented welterweight Paul ‘The Punisher’ Williams will also be featured on the card.
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© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2005
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Interview by Anthony Cocks, Site Editor (July 19, 2005) 
