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Julian Solis (born January 7, 1957) is a former
Boxing|boxer from Puerto Rico. He was born in the
San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan area of Rio
Piedras, but, because of the closeness of his
birthplace to Caguas, Puerto Rico|Caguas, he often
trained at the Bairoa Gym in Caguas. His training
base, however, was Caimito Gym. He is the only
world champion in a family that produced two other
world caliber boxers: brother Enrique lost for the
world Featherweight title to Eusebio Pedroza by
decision in 15 rounds, and brother Rafael Solis
(boxer)|Rafael lost to Hector Camacho in 1983 by a
knockout in five rounds, for the world's Jr.
Lightweight title. 

Solis began his professional boxing career in
1975, beating Ray Negron
by decision in four on November 11. He won his
first five fights in Puerto Rico, and then had his
first international fight, when he beat Juan Gomez
in St. Maarten, by a knockout in round two, on
December of 1975.

On February 12 of 1978, he met fringe contender
Nivio Nolasco and beat him by decision in ten, and
then, he travelled to the Dominican Republic,
where he outpointed Leopoldo Frias on March 15,
also in ten rounds. With a record of 12-0 and 5
knockouts, he returned to the Dominican Republic,
where he challenged Julio Soto Solano on October
16 for the Latin American Bantamweight title. He
won the regional belt by outpointing Solano over
12 rounds. 

In 1979, he won four fights, including one over
Julio C. Saba knocked out in eight rounds in
Buenos Aires.

Solis continued his world traveller ways in 1980:
He retained the Latin American title with a 12th
round knockout of future world title challenger
Edgar Roman in Venezuela, and won another fight,
this one in South Africa, before challenging the
World Boxing Association|WBA world bantamweight
champion Jorge Lujan at Miami, Florida|Miami on
August 29. He became world Bantamweight champion
by defeating Lujan by decision in 15. For his
first defense, he returned to Miami, but he lost
the crown, and his undefeated record, to Jeff
Chandler on November 14, by a knockout in 14
rounds.

After beginning 1981 with one win, he and Chandler
met again, on July 25th at Atlantic City, New
Jersey. This time, Chandler took only half the
time he had the first time to beat Solis, knocking
the Puerto Rican former world champion in seven
rounds. His next fight, with Kiko Bejines, who
would later die in a boxing related accident, in
Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles, also resulted
in a seven round knockout defeat.

In 1982, Solis went back to the winning road,
winning two fights in San Juan and one in Chile.
By 1983, Solis was a popular performer on the
Supersiete|channel seven Television|televised
Saturday night fights, often held in small Puerto
Rican cities. He won four fights in Puerto Rico
that year, and drew in Panama with the world's
number one ranked Jr. Featherweight of the time,
Bernardo Checa. In 1984, he won three fights,
including a ten round decision over future world
champion Kenny Mitchell as part of the Azumah
Nelson-Wilfredo Gomez world Featherweight
championship bout's undercard on December 8 in San
Juan.

In 1985, he only had one fight, decisioning David
Campo.

He began 1986 by losing to Mike Ayala by decision
in ten on March 2 in San Antonio, Texas|San
Antonio. Solis and his handlers felt he had been
robbed of a victory by the judges in this fight,
feeling that Solis had done enough to win it on
points. They filed a complain with the Texas state
athletic commission, and had the Texan boxing
officials review a tape of the fight. However, it
was to no avail, as the fight's result was not
over-turned.

Solis fought on from this point until 1992, but he
only won 6 of his last 15 bouts before retiring.
True to his world travelling style, only 2 of
those final 15 bouts were in Puerto Rico, and he
visited Italy, South Korea, South Africa once
again, and various United States|American states
for his last 15 fights, in addition to another
fight in Miami. Among the boxers he faced during
the last part of his career were future world
Bantamweight champion Mauricio Stecca, former
world Bantamweight champion Calvin Grove,
Seoung-Hoon Lee and Pedro Decima.

Solis retired with a record of 41 wins, 13 losses
and 1 draw, with 22 knockouts. He remains active
as a public figure in Puerto Rico, participating
in charity exhibitions here and there.

==External link==
http://boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=00374
3 Solis record from boxrec.com