Sensational Night of Boxing Ahead As Italia Thunders Welcome The British Lionhearts on Friday in Milan Week Seven of World Series of Boxing Season VIII begins in the Palazzetto dello Sport in Milan on Friday, when hosts the Italia Thunder take on the British Lionhearts for the second time this season. The previous matchup between […]
via Week Seven Preview of World Series of Boxing Season VIII — newfanzoneblog
On Wednesday 21 December, the Draft Pick for Season VII of boxing’s unique team competition World Series of Boxing took place in Lausanne, Switzerland, giving the franchises a chance to recruit some extra world-class talent in their pursuit of glory. Beginning in February, the new season will see 12 teams competing across three zonal groups […]
Momentous night of boxing sees the magnificent Cuba Domadores beat the brave British Lionhearts to lift the WSB trophy for a second time Saturday saw an unforgettable night of WSB boxing in the Uzbekistan capital of Tashkent, as the Cuba Domadores earned their second WSB title in three years with a near-perfect win over the […]
Bold British Lionhearts look to make history in first WSB final while ever-impressive Cuba Domadores seek second title in three years The Uzbekistan capital of Tashkent is warming up to host the sixth World Series of Boxing final on Saturday 4 June, and whilst the Cuba Domadores are no strangers to this stage of the […]
The British Lionhearts were on dazzling form in London’s York Hall on Friday night, going one better than their 3-2 first leg win to record a famous 4-1 victory over the titleholders to reach their first ever WSB final. The 7-3 aggregate score means they will now meet the Cuba Domadores in the final in […]
The WSB Season VI Semi-Final between British Lionhearts and Astana Arlans Kazakhstan gets underway on Thursday evening in East London’s York Hall, with both teams eager to gain a crucial first-leg advantage in their quest to join Cuba Domadores in this year’s final. The light flyweight, bantamweight, light welterweight, middleweight and heavyweight boxers will be […]
The Cuba Domadores booked their place in WSB Season VI Finals in emphatic fashion on Friday night, repeating their superb first-leg whitewash of Uzbek Tigers to take the match 10-0. The Cuban side were once again in unstoppable form, punishing the slightest mistake from their opponents and showing just why they will be many people’s […]
The British Lionhearts put in a sensational performance against USA Knockouts in London on Thursday night to maintain their unbeaten record in WSB Season VI. The Lionhearts now have a five-point lead over the second-placed Americans and host the Morocco Atlas Lions in two weeks’ time.
European Confederation Boxing Championships silver medalist Muhammad Ali got the home side off to a strong start against USA Knockouts’ 23-year-old Gaurav Bidhuri, his lightening combinations and long, straight punching delivering a unanimous judges’ decision after five rounds.
The Americans were soon back on level terms after winning the battle of the welterweight southpaws. Lionhearts’ promising debutant Cyrus Pattinson was stopped in his tracks in the third round of what had, up to then, been a balanced contest with fellow debutant Ardreal Holmes, with the American’s jabs putting Pattinson on the canvas.
Wales’ European Confederation Champion Joseph Cordina continued his strong run of form with a confident display against Knockouts debutant Bruce Carrington. Cordina was focused throughout, comfortably taking all five rounds for a unanimous points decision to give the home side an advantage they would refuse to let slip.
Lionhearts’ Joshua Buatsi had his opponent Souliman Abdourachidov on the canvas as early as the first round, but full credit to the Frenchman who returned well in the second and third of a gripping encounter. But it was Buatsi, fuelled by the vociferous home crowd, who seized control, delivering a massive left in the fourth that had Abdourachidov down for the final time as the referee awarded the home side the TKO and a deserved win on the night.
That left Joseph Joyce to return to the side and round-off the action in emphatic style. Last year’s super heavyweight star returned to the WSB fray with a big left hook in the opening seconds and then had Knockouts’ Brandon Lynch on the canvas inside the first minute, raising the roof on York Hall and sealing a memorable win for the Lionhearts.
British Lionhearts could seal their place as Group B winners on Tonight as they entertain the USA Knockouts in London’s York Hall. Season VI began well for the home side with a tight win in Miami, and victory in the return match would book their place in the Playoffs stages.
European Confederation Championship silver medalist Muhammad Ali will be first into the ring for the unbeaten Lionhearts looking for his second win of the season against Knockouts’ talented Indian Gaurav Bidhuri. Also in form for the hosts is Welshman Joseph Cordina, recent lightweight winner at the Bocskai Memorial Tournament in Hungary and favourite to overcome Knockouts’ debutant Bruce Carrington, bronze medalist at the US National Olympic Trials.
British Lionhearts’ newcomer Cyrus Pattinson took silver in Hungary at welterweight and he meets Ardreal Holmes in what will be a revealing battle of the WSB debuts, before light heavyweight Joshua Buatsi, winner of both the Rio Test Event and Bocskai event, unleashes his powerful combinations on Knockouts’ French talent Souliman Abdourachidov.
The last man out for the home side, with the possibility of sealing the Group B top spot in style, is European Games Super Heavyweight champion Joe Joyce. Joyce returns to the team after a brilliant 6-1 season last year, to face American Brandon Lynch, who will be riding high after defeating Mexico Guerreros’ Elvis Garcia on WSB debut in Week 4.
Thursday evening’s World Series of Boxing Season VI Group B curtain-raiser in Miami between two great boxing nations was always going to be an emotional affair, but at the final bell it was the British Lionhearts who took a morale-boosting first away win and left USA Knockouts reeling.
The Lionhearts got off to a strong start with European Confederation Championship silver medallist Harvey Horn managing to jab his way past US National Olympic Trials champion Nico Hernandez. Horn dominated the opening exchanges of their light flyweight bout and Hernandez’ late rally wasn’t enough to sway the judges, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead.
It wasn’t long before the Knockouts had drawn level on the night, their 2014 Youth Olympic Games winner Shakur Stevenson putting in an incredible display on his WSB debut to defeat rival Peter McGrail. Unbeaten at Youth and Junior level, the 20 year-old American bantamweight’s confidence was running high, landing a series of left hooks and uppercuts for which McGrail could find no answer.
The third contest of the night between another US Olympic Trial champion, the light welterweight Gary Russell, and Lionhearts’ Pat McCormack was a gripping affair, with Russell looking by far the more composed in the opening rounds. In a spectacular turnaround, McCormack was able to frustrate his opponent’s attacking instincts and took the final three rounds, lifting his team into a 2-1 lead.
Again the US got back on level terms, with Troy Williamson winning his middleweight bout against Charles Conwell and setting up a nail-biting heavyweight decider between Knockouts’ top boxer Cam F. Awesome and Lionhearts’ newcomer Lawrence Okolie, who only put his gloves on for the first time in 2010.
Awesome looked to have adjusted well to his move down from super heavyweight and was too fast for WSB debutant Okolie in the first round but the young British talent grew in confidence as he stopped Awesome’s waves of attacks, and eventually his heavy-hitting style gave a sensational Technical Knockout win to the British Lionhearts.
Miami is the venue for the hotly anticipated WSB Season VI Group B opener between USA Knockouts and British Lionhearts on Thursday evening, as the two World Series of Boxing stalwharts look to get their seasons off to a winning start in what is set to be an electric encounter at the Miccosukee Sports & Entertainment Dome.
USA Knockouts won their opening three matches of Season V before tailing off towards the end of the campaign, while the Lionhearts’ won 23 out of 70 bouts in Group A and finishing seventh. The Knockouts were busy during the Draft in December, however, and the revitalised squad will prove a huge challenge for the British to overcome on US soil.
Nico Hernandez was one of the stars for USA Knockouts in Season V, and the light flyweight will need to be at his very best if he is to beat Britain’s European Confederation Boxing Championships silver medalist Harvey Horn. Two red-hot bantamweights Shakur Stevenson and Peter McGrail emerged from the 2014 Youth Olympic Games and AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships with both of their reputations enhanced, and the bout is set to be a highlight of the evening.
Gary Russell secured his place on the Knockouts’ team this season by winning the US National Olympic Trials at the end of last year, and he faces Lionhearts’ Pat McCormack, who is looking to leave his mark on the competition and push for an Olympic place. Another US Olympic Trials winner, Charles Conwell, will face Troy Williamson in the middleweight bout, with the Brit staking his claim on Anthony Fowler’s place in the Lionhearts’ squad.
One of the more experienced US boxers, Cam F. Awesome recently switched down a class to heavyweight, a move that paid immediate dividends as he also chalked up a first place at the Olympic Trials. He will be closing out the evening against British Lionhearts’ rising star Lawrence Okolie, who clearly has the talent to cause what could be a match-winning upset
World Series of Boxing Group Draw has set the stage for the upcoming Season VI, as current Champions Astana Arlans face Azerbaijan Baku Fires, Puerto Rico Hurricanes and Uzbekistan team. Season V runners-up Cuba Domadores are facing a varied collection of opponents including Algeria Desert Hawks, Ukraine Otamans and China Dragons.
AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, who opened the Draw, said: “Season VI will be an extraordinary competition as we will be able to witness 16 truly amazing and legendary teams go head to head for the honour to compete in WSB Finals”.
He added: “I am confident that all teams will offer a magnificent spectacle and that this will be one of the best boxing seasons our fans have ever seen”.
The 16 teams were drawn into four groups of four teams with the top seed in each group occupied by Season V semi-finalists:
Group A: Cuba Domadores, Algeria Desert Hawks, Ukraine Otamans, China Dragons
Group B: Mexico Guerreros, USA Knockouts, Morocco Atlas Lions, British Lionhearts
Group C: Russian Boxing Team, Rafako Hussars Poland, Argentina Condors, Caciques de Venezuela
Group D: Astana Arlans Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan Team, Azerbaijan Baku Fires, Puerto Rico Hurricanes.
Followign the Draw the General Manager of Cuba Domadores Alberto Puig de la Barca said: “All the teams are very strong this year. All the franchises will do a god job and it will not be easy to beat any of them. We have been matched against three very good teams and we will have to plan well. The format of Season VI is really good with four groups and less matches, which will allow the boxers to be in a perfect shape throughout the whole Season”.
Two teams from each group will progress further and will contest play-offs to determine the last four and ultimately two finalist teams to battle it out in the World Series of Boxing Team Finals.
newfanzone 