A destructive performance in Moscow resulted in a whitewash 5-0 victory for Russian Boxing Team over British Lionhearts, who have still yet to win away from home this season.
Russian Boxing Team
Conversely, Russia are looking sublime in front of their home fans, and have not dropped a single bout when competing in their own country.
The action began at Light flyweight (52 kg) where Russia’s Vasiliy Egorov won his first match of the campaign, and consigned Lionheart Ashley Williams to his third consecutive WSB defeat.
Russia’s 2013 AIBA World Championships silver medalist Bantamweight (56 kg) Vladimir Nikitin then made it 2-0 on the night for his Franchise with a comfortable points win over Enrico La Cruz.
By the end of the third fight, the overall victory was already assured for Russian Boxing Team after Light welterweight (64 kg) Vitaliy Dunaytsev gave Sam Maxwell his first loss of the season with a dominant victory.
Middleweight (75 kg) Petr Khamukov then showcased his power as he stopped British debutant Daniel Woledge midway through the first round of their contest.
victory for Russian Boxing Team over British Lionhearts
The 5-0 victory was confirmed at Heavyweight (91 kg) as Russia’s 2013 AIBA World Championships silver medalist Evgeny Tishchenko easily win against Abdoulaye Diane.
Russian Boxing Team are at home again next week against Ukraine Otamans, while British Lionhearts face a tough test away to Cuba Domadores.
Both Russian Boxing Team and British Lionhearts have begun Season V of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) with success, with the Russian Franchise currently sitting in fourth place in Group A, while the Lionhearts are third having lost both their away matches so far.
Considering Russia have competed in a match less than the British team due to a first week postponement, this is a key match for both Franchises to assert themselves in the group, and to keep pace with Cuba Domadores and Ukraine Otamans.
The Russian team have a brand new line up replacing the five fighters who all lost in these weight classes against Cuba Domadores two weeks ago, while the British Lionhearts have also had to make changes due to injuries and form.
The Sports Palace “Wings Of The Soviets”, Moscow is the venue for this eagerly anticipated clash, and on Thursday 12th January, fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 20:00 (GMT +3) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
Russian Boxing Team
A Light flyweight (49 kg) bout opens the action, with Russia’s Vasiliy Egorov, who won a number of international tournaments last year, making his first appearance of the season against the 0-2 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Ashley Williams.
Russia’s 2013 AIBA World Championships silver medalist Vladimir Nikitin is in action next at Bantamweight (56 kg) where he faces Dutch Lionhearts representative Enrico La Cruz.
Light welterweight (64 kg) Vitaliy Dunaytsev makes his first appearance of the season for Russia, and the experienced boxer faces a tough opening clash against Sam Maxwell, who has won both of his matches so far in this campaign for British Lionhearts.
Petr Khamukov has plenty of his WSB experience for Russia, and he will look to make that count at Middleweight (75 kg) when he fights young British fighter Daniel Woledge who has big shoes to fill as he replaces the 2-0 Anthony Fowler who bravely fought through his first two matches with a severe cut.
The last bout of the night is at Heavyweight (91 kg) where Russia’s 2013 AIBA World Championships silver medalist Evgeny Tishchenko, one of the most exciting Heavyweight prospects in the world makes his first appearance of Season V against French fighter Abdoulaye Diane who has prior WSB experience with Algeria Desert Hawks.
The Atlas Lions Meet The Lionhearts In A Potential Classic In Casablanca
After defeats in their opening two World Series of Boxing (WSB) matches, Morocco Atlas Lions will be hoping to move up the Group A table when they host British Lionhearts.
The Lionhearts won their first WSB match against China Dragons, but lost against Ukraine Otamans in week two, and are looking to resume their winning ways away in Africa.
A marvelous venue hosts the action, and the watching fans at the Hyatt Regency, Casablanca will enjoy five fights of terrific action.
On Friday 30th January, fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 22:00 GMT at AIBABoxingTV.com.
The Light flyweights (49 kg) are in action first, where Moroccan National Champion Zouhair El Bekkali seeks his first WSB win of the season after losing his opening contest against Joahnys Oscar Argilagos Perez.
His opponent, the Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Ashley Williams also lost his first match against China’s He Junjun, although the Welsh star improved as the fight progressed.
Lionhearts Bantamweight (56 kg) Qais Ashfaq is 1-0 after beating Diao Jianhao in week one, and he looks to maintain his undefeated record against 0-1 Mohamed VI Trophy winner Mohamed Hamout.
Morocco’s Hamza El Barbari lost his week one match against Cuba’s dominant Yasniel Toledo, and will hope to improve on his recent form in his Light welterweight (64 kg) clash with England’s Sam Maxwell who dominated Sairike Tuoliaowutayi in London.
AIBA World Championships bronze medalist Middleweight (75 kg) Anthony Fowler won his opening contest against Zhou Di, but suffered a severe cut in the process.
Just over two weeks from that fight, will the injury be healed enough for him to beat exciting Moroccan Said Harnouf.
In the last fight of the evening, Lithuanian Heavyweight (91 kg) Vitalijus Subacius represents the Atlas Lions, and the former AIBA World Championships quarter-finalist faces Romania’s British Lionhearts fighter Ionut-Mirel Jitaru, who lost his opening WSB match against Josip Bepo Filipi.
WEEK 1 Match Ukraine Otamans vs Mexico Guerreros
Can China Dragons pick up their first win of the season against Ukraine Otamans?
Week three of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) includes an intriguing Group A clash with China Dragons hosting Ukraine Otamans.
The returning Chinese Franchise have yet to win a match in the competition this season, while Ukraine are full of confidence having won their first two matches.
Therefore, the five bouts at the Mangrovetree Convention Center, Sanya will have huge importance for both teams, and on Friday 30th January, fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 19:30 (GMT +8) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
Chinese Light flyweight (49 kg) LI Jiahao makes his first WSB appearance of the season in fight number one, and he faces Uzbekistan’s Hasanboy Dusmatov representing the Otamans, who is 1-0 this season after an opening win against Joselito Velázquez Altamirano.
Dusmatov tired in the middle part of his fight against the Mexican, which Jiahao will look to take advantage of.
Ukrainian Bantamweight (56 kg) Mykola Butsenko, a former AIBA World Championships bronze medalist displayed just why he was ranked in the top ten of WSB last season as he won every single round against Mexico’s Sergio Alfredo Chirino Sánchez in week one.
He looks to go 2-0 against Diao Jianhao who is 0-1 having lost his opening match to England’s Qais Ashfaq.
China’s Light welterweight (64 kg) Sairike Tuoliaowutayi also lost his first WSB match to Samuel Maxwell, and will have to improve against Ukraine’s Dmytro Grynchenko who is making his first appearance of the season.
Huang Jiabin will hope to make a winning start to his WSB career, and the Dragons fighter competes in a magnificent Middleweight (75 kg) bout as he faces Uzbekistan’s Hurshidbek Normatov, who will look for his second win of the season for the Otamans after his opening victory against Misael Uriel Rodríguez Oliva.
The Heavyweights (91 kg) complete the action in Sanya, and China’s Li Mingtao, who has won many tournaments over the course his career, faces 2006 European Champion Denys Poyatsyka who didn’t drop a single round against Christian Demaj in his first WSB match.
Rampant Russian Boxing Team Secure Opening Wsb Victory Against China Dragons
Russian Boxing Team rebounded from the cancellation of their first week World Series of Boxing (WSB) bout by traveling to Sanya and defeating China Dragons 4-1 away from home.
This result means that the returning Chinese Franchise are still yet to pick up their first victory of Season V, while victory in Asia will give the Russian team much confidence for the rest of the campaign.
The Dragons actually won the first fight of the evening at Flyweight (52 kg), as Hu Jianguan defeated Russia’s Vyacheslav Tashkarakov by TKO-I 42 seconds into the fifth round.
Jianguan was ahead on two scorecards, with the third drawn by the time of the stoppage.
Russia’s Adlan Abdurashidov has been one of the best boxers for his Franchise over the years, and he opened up his WSB campaign with a wide points victory over Wang Lei at Lightweight (60 kg).
The Russian revolution continued at Welterweight (69 kg) as Radzhab Butaev dominated the majority of the rounds against Liu Wei.
A closer battle was found in the Light heavyweight (81 kg) division, but another Russian victory was to be found, this time via split decision.
China’s Aolin Zhang began the fight impressively, but Vladimir Shishkin took control of the contest as the bout progressed, and two judges awarded him with 49:46 contests, while the third gave it to Zhang by a single round.
That result enabled a winning night for Russia, and they wrapped up the victory at Super heavyweight (91 kg) with Gasan Gimbatov winning every round against Wang Zhibao.
Russia’s win sees them assert themselves in Group A, and they travel away to Cuba Domadores in week three, while China Dragons will continue to look for their first WSB victory at home to Ukraine Otamans.
Week 2 Rafako Hussars Poland vs Astana Arlans Kazakhstan
Knockouts, Upsets And Injuries Help Ukraine Otamans Remain Undefeated At The British Lionhearts Expense
After victory for both Ukraine Otamans and British Lionhearts in their opening Group A matches, the second week bout between the two undefeated sides was eagerly anticipated.
A night of incredible action ultimately ended with a 3-2 victory for Ukraine Otamans, which kept them undefeated and gave British Lionhearts their first defeat of Season V.
The Acco International Center in Kiev was the venue for this titanic tussle, which began with one of the biggest shocks in the history of the World Series of Boxing (WSB).
British Lionhearts Flyweight (52 kg) and two-time AIBA World Championships medalist Andrew Selby entered his match with Ukraine’s Azat Usenaliev defending a 9-0 WSB record, and a reputation as one of the best fighters in the world.
Four rounds later, Selby’s undefeated record was destroyed after he was pulled out after an eye injury.
Selby still would have lost had he managed to finish the bout, as he was behind by large margins on every scorecard, and Usenaliev deserves many plaudits for his excellent performance.
A close Lightweight (60 kg) contest followed, which saw Oleg Prudkyi defeated Lionheart Joseph Cordina on points.
Welterweight (69 kg) Haizel Ekow Tabiri-Essuman then pulled back a priceless victory for the Lionhearts when he won via split decision against Bogdan Shelestyuk.
The Otamans continued their assault however, and won the night in the fourth fight, with European Junior Championships silver medallist Oleksandr Khyzhniak stopping Aston Brown in the second round of their Light heavyweight (81 kg) contest.
Powerful Super heavyweight (91+ kg) Joseph Joyce then clawed back a valuable point for British Lionhearts in the final fight of the evening, as he sensationally stopped Viktor Vykhrest in round two.
Both Franchises return to action next weekend, with Ukraine Otamans looking to keep their undefeated run going away against China Dragons, while British Lionhearts also compete abroad, as they travel to Africa to face Morocco Atlas Lions.
Rafako Hussars Poland come so close to upset against Astana Arlans Kazakhstan
After five matches of intense quality in the World Series of Boxing (WSB), Rafako Hussars Poland narrowly missed out on one of the biggest upset victories in the history of the competition, as Astana Arlans Kazakhstan ultimately won the match 3-2.
Regionalne Centrum Sportowe Sp. Z O.o, Lubin was the location for this highly entertaining series of matches, which started with a win for Astana Arlans at Flyweight (52 kg) as Olzhas Sattibayev outpointed Germany’s Hamza Touba who represents Poland.
The upset became possible in the second fight however, when Lightweight (60 kg) Dawid Michelus, who won the bronze medal at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games added to his impressive résumé when he defeated former Kazakhstan National Champion Zakir Safiullin by a single point on all three scorecards.
Northern Ireland’s 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Steven Donnelly is competing for Rafako Hussars Poland this season, and achieved an impressive debut as he made it 2-1 on the night for his Franchise as he won by unanimous decision against Madiyar Ashkeyev.
Poland were so close to winning the match in the fourth bout, but a split decision went the way of Kazakhstan, when veteran Light heavyweight (81 kg) Hrvoje Sep impressed two of the judges against Mateusz Jerzy Tryc, who won the fight according to one scorecard.
With everything on the line coming into the last fight, Croatian Super heavyweight (91+ kg) Filip Hrgovic kept a cool head and won the night 3-2 for Astana Arlans Kazakhstan by winning every round against Pawel Wierzbicki.
The still undefeated Astana Arlans travel to Azerbaijan Baku Fires in week three, while Rafako Hussars Poland seek their first win of the season at home to Argentina Condors.
Astana Arlans Kazakhstan Seek Win Number Two Away To Rafako Hussars Poland
After their opening win in Season V of the World Series of Boxing (WSB), Astana Arlans Kazakhstan travel to Lubin, as they face Rafako Hussars Poland who are looking for their first WSB victory following a loss away in Puerto Rico.
On Friday 23rd January, 20:30 (GMT +1) fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand at AIBABoxingTV.com.
The night begins at Flyweight (52 kg) and features Hamza Touba who featured for Team Germany last season now representing Poland against Olzhas Sattibayev who is one of the toughest members of the Astana Arlans squad.
Lightweight (60 kg) Polish fighter Dawid Michelus won the bronze medal at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games and he fights former Kazakhstan National Champion Zakir Safiullin.
An intriguing clash at Welterweight (69 kg) follows between Northern Ireland’s 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Steven Donnelly who is competing for Poland this season, against Madiyar Ashkeyev, who achieved the performance of his life in September’s “Clash of Champions” as he beats Roniel Iglesias Sotolongo via split decision.
Week 2 Rafako Hussars Poland vs Astana Arlans Kazakhstan
The penultimate fight is at Light heavyweight (81 kg) with Poland’s WSB veteran Mateusz Jerzy Tryc facing Croatia’s Hrvoje Sep who has amassed over 20 fights in this competition, including many wins for his Franchise Astana Arlans Kazakhstan.
Another Croatian representing Kazakhstan competes in the main event, as Filip Hrgovic who was ranked in the top three Super heavyweights (91+ kg) last season takes on Poland’s Pawel Wierzbicki who is a former AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships medalist.
Russian Boxing Team Make Their Season V Debut Against China Dragons
WEEK 1 Match Ukraine Otamans vs Mexico Guerreros
Following the postponement of their week one World Series of Boxing (WSB) match, Russian Boxing Team make their first appearance of Season V against China Dragons, who narrowly lost 3-2 to British Lionhearts in London, England last week.
This time the Dragons are at home with the Mangrovetree Convention Center the venue in Sanya, and On Friday 23rd January, 19:30 (GMT +8) fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand at AIBABoxingTV.com.
The first fight of the night is at Flyweight (52 kg) and features the speedy Hu Jianguan against Russia’s Vyacheslav Tashkarakov who competed well in WSB last season.
Lightweight (60 kg) Chinese sensation Wang Lei reached the latter stages of many international tournaments during 2014, and he opens his account in this competition against Russia’s Adlan Abdurashidov who was the top Lightweight seed in Season II of WSB.
A former WSB competitor, Liu Wei returns at Welterweight (69 kg) for China Dragons against Radzhab Butaev who claimed an impressive win last season against Denys Berinchyk.
China’s Aolin Zhang is ranked in the top 15 of the AIBA Light Heavyweight rankings, and he will hope to impress in the same weight class in WSB when he squares off against Russia’s former national junior boxing Champion Vladimir Shishkin.
In the main event of the evening, the Super Heavyweights (91+ kg) are in action, with the powerful Wang Zhibao competing against Russia’s Gasan Gimbatov who is looking to fulfill his undoubted potential this season.
Ukraine Otamans And British Lionhearts Bid To Remain Undefeated In Kiev
Ukraine Otamans vs British Lionhearts
Group A in Season V of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) is packed full of world class Franchises, and both Ukraine Otamans plus their week two opponents British Lionhearts won their opening contests.
On Friday 23rd January, 21:30 (GMT +2) fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand at AIBABoxingTV.com.
Ukraine return to the Acco International Exhibition Center, Kiev, which was the scene of their first round 4-1 win over Mexico Guerreros, while British Lionhearts travel away for the first time in WSB this season, after their 3-2 win over China Dragons.
The first match of the evening is at Flyweight (52 kg) between Azat Usenaliev of Ukraine Otamans, and two-time AIBA World Championships medalist Andrew Selby of Wales who is representing the Lionhearts this season.
Usenaliev had an impressive victory over Bakhtovar Nazirov in the quarter-final stages of WSB last season, while Selby has competed for Italia Thunder and British Lionhearts in the competition, and is undefeated in his WSB career so far.
World Series Of Boxing, WSB
The Lightweights (60 kg) are in action next, with Oleg Prudkyi who impressed in his WSB Season IV outings facing Joseph Cordina, who won the bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Welterweight (69 kg) Bogdan Shelestyuk of Ukraine has won many medals across his boxing career, and his week two opponent is England’s Haizel Ekow Tabiri-Essuman who has a very entertaining style in the ring, and always comes to win.
European Junior Championships silver medallist Oleksandr Khyzhniak is one of the youngest members of Ukraine Otamans, but the Light heavyweight (81 kg) will be full of confidence against Scotland’s Aston Brown who previously competed in Season III of WSB.
The last fight of the night is at Super heavyweight (91+ kg) between Ukraine’s Viktor Vykhryst who has many seasons of WSB experience and England’s Joseph Joyce, who won the bronze in his class at the 2013 European Amateur Boxing Championships, competed at the 2013 AIBA World Boxing Championships and won the gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
After seven long months, the World Series of Boxing (WSB) returns on Thursday, 15th January, and the first match of Season V is a mouthwatering battle between two Franchises returning to the competition.
London’s York Hall is one of the most iconic boxing venues in the world, and its humble location in East London is the home-base for British Lionhearts who compete in Season V after missing last season.
Their opponents are China Dragons, who are back aiming to replicate the success of the Beijing Dragons Franchise which competed in the first two WSB seasons.
Boxing fans in Britain can view the event live at 8.00pm GMT on the BT Sport 2 television channel, while the rest of the world can watch free, live and on demand at AIBABoxingTV.com.
Light Welterweight (64kg) Askhat UALIKHANOV Astana Arlans Kazakhstan (R) vs Yasnier TOLEDO Cuba Domadores (L). Credit AIBA World Series Of Boxing
Kicking off the action at Light flyweight (49 kg) is an intriguing contest between Commonwealth Games bronze medalist and British Lionhearts representative Ashley Williams and 2014 China Open Tournament silver medalist He Junjun.
The Light flyweights are the quickest boxers in WSB, and this opening clash will be exciting from beginning to end.
Eight medalists from the 2014 Commonwealth Games are in the British squad, including Bantamweight (56 kg) Qais Ashfaq who won a silver medal in the competition, and he squares off against China’s Diao Jianhao in match two.
In the third fight of the evening, Sam Maxwell is in action, and the Light welterweight (64 kg) has valuable WSB experience having competed for the Lionhearts in Season III.
His opponent is China’s Sairike Tuoliaowutayi who won the Chinese Youth National Championships in 2011.
Anthony Fowler has emerged as one of the best Middleweights (75 kg) in the world over the past two years, and the Commonwealth Games gold medalist and the AIBA World Championships bronze medalist won his lone WSB match in Season III by stoppage.
China’s Zhou Di will be in the opposite corner, and Di made the quarter-finals of the 2014 Asian Games.
The regulations of WSB state that all teams must select at least one overseas boxer for every match, so therefore the Heavyweight (91 kg) match which closes the evening is a match between Romania’s Ionut-Mirel Jitaru representing the Lionhearts, and Croatia’s Mediterranean Games silver medallist Josip Bepo Filipi who is an honorary Dragon for China.
Heavyweight boxing in WSB has to be seen to be believed, as the heavy-hitters always look for the knockout, and this fight has the capabilities to be the most entertaining scrap on a night of pure quality.
All 16 teams have announced the names of the boxers who will compete in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) Season V with over 520 names confirmed.
Each team will consist of at least 20 boxers, including such renown names as Michael Conlan of Italia Thunder, Joseph Joyce of British Lionhearts, Cam F. Awesome of USA Knockouts, Xuanxuan Wang of China Dragons and Marvin Cabrera of Mexico Guerreros.
British Lionheart’s first bout will take place in London on Thursday, 15th January against China Dragons. Mexico Guerreros will face Ukraine Otamans on 16th January in Kyiv. Italia Thunder will take on Azerbaijan Baku Fires in Baku on 17th of January, while USA Knockouts will face Argentina Condors in Buenos Aires on the same day.
WSB is the only Global Team Boxing competition where national teams go head to head in a league format. Developed by the International Boxing Association (AIBA), this unique competition brings together the best Olympic and national boxers in an exciting team format with worldwide appeal. Season V sees 16 teams compete in two groups of 8 with the top 3 teams qualifying for play offs.
The boxers compete without vests or headguards in five three-minute rounds. There are five bouts per match and scoring is through the 10-Point-Must-System.
World Series Of Boxing
Season V sees the introduction of three new franchises – Morocco, Venezuela and Puerto Rico – as well as the return of two boxing powerhouses, China and Great Britain. Cuba, the reigning champions are joined with Russia, Mexico and Great Britain in Group A. Group B sees former champions Italy and Kazakhstan pitted against the US, Argentina and Azerbaijan.
As WSB boxers retain their Olympic eligibility, the road to Rio 2016 Olympic Games also begins in earnest with a quota of 17 places up for grabs through the competition, the first time so many boxers can qualify via WSB. Categories from 52kg to 81kg will be granted two quotas each, while 49kg, 91kg and +91kg will each be granted one quota.
Season V of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) provides an unprecedented opportunity for boxers to achieve individual qualification for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
As WSB boxers retain their Olympic eligibility, the road to Rio 2016 Olympic Games is paved with possible gold for the competitors, with a quota of 17 places up for grabs throughout the competition, while this number was only five before the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Categories from 52kg to 81kg will be granted two quotas each, while 49kg, 91kg and +91kg will each be granted one quota. The magnitude of this opportunity has not been lost on the Franchises, who are all training with intense discipline to make Season V the most entertaining, enthralling and important edition to date.
In Group B, former winners and future hopefuls will challenge for success, and with four teams from Europe, two from North America, plus two South American Franchises included, the global aspect of WSB is represented fully.
South America has been home to many of the greatest boxers of all time, and Argentina Condors, fresh off their second season of WSB action, are looking to establish themselves as the dominant Franchise from their continent in Season V.
To accomplish that goal, they will have to perform better than the new Franchise from Venezuela, who according to many boxing insiders are amassing an impressive squad for the upcoming season.
The two South American boxing giants will meet each other in week five, and week 12 of the season, and both will be hoping they will be in position to progress into the knock-out stages of the competition come the end of the group stage.
One franchise who will be confident of getting out of the group will be Azerbaijan Baku Fires, who lost the engrossing WSB Season IV Final against the sublime Cuba Domadores, by the narrowest of margins.
The Baku Fires will be looking to go one further in Season V, and they have the knowledge and awareness of how to successfully negotiate their way through the group stages in order to reach the latter stages of the tournament.
Astana Arlans Kazakhstan were eliminated by Azerbaijan in Season IV, but the two Franchises struck up a kinship after their hard fought semi-finals contest.
Many WSB teams would be delighted with a semi-final finish, but as the Season III champions, Kazakhstan will be looking to go all the way again this time around.
In order to fulfill their hopes, they will have to beat the big teams, and their matches with Azerbaijan in week three and week 10 will be keenly awaited by WSB fans.
Italia Thunder have been one of the most successful Franchises in WSB history, and the flamboyant team have one of the finest squads in the entire competition.
After winning Season II, the Italians have failed to reach the semi-finals stage in the last two seasons, and they have a difficult start to life in Group B.
Their season starts with two tough away matches, firstly against Azerbaijan, and then they face USA Knockouts in week two.
The Knockouts reached the quarter-final stage last season, before running into the dominant Cuba Domadores, and the American side will at least want to replicate their accomplishments in Season V.
World Series Of Boxing
They will have to work hard to maintain their supremacy as the North American leaders of WSB, as one of the best boxing nations in the world joins WSB, with Puerto Rico looking to produce a hurricane over the competition.
Six of Puerto Rico’s eight medals in their Olympic Games history belong to boxers, and this Caribbean island, with a population of just over 3.5 million people, boasts the highest index in terms of World Boxing Champions per capita on the planet, statistics that their WSB fighters will use to spur them on to possible glory in the competition.
Completing the group at this moment will be Hussars Poland, who will be looking to forget their disappointing season last year, and concentrate on improving their talented squad even further.
The Polish team have great durability and courage, and they will seek to turn their resilience and willing into results and wins, starting with their first week match away against Puerto Rico.
WSB Season V starts on Thursday 15th January 20.00 GMT at London’s legendary York Hall with British Lionhearts taking on China Dragons, followed up by seven epic clashes on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th January.
Season V of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) is widely anticipated to be the greatest instalment of the world class boxing competition, with three news Franchises, plus two returning ones joining defending Champions Cuba Domadores and ten more teams competing to achieve team glory.
WSB is the only Global Team Boxing competition where national teams go head to head in a league format, and this season will see 16 teams compete in two groups of eight with the top three teams qualifying for play offs.
Group A consists of the current WSB defending champions Cuba Domadores, Season IV semi-finalists Russian Boxing Team, Season III runners-up Ukraine Otamans, the returning British Lionhearts, exciting Mexico Guerreros, durable Algeria Desert Hawks, plus two new Franchises, from China and Morocco.
World Series Of Boxing
With four continents represented in the group, many pugilism aficionados are excited about the all-African encounter between Algeria Desert Hawks, and newcomers Atlas Lions Moroccan Boxing Team. With Algeria’s prior experience in WSB they will be wanting to assert themselves as the best African team in the tournament, but Morocco are being tipped to put together an impressive squad, and they will meet each other in week six, and week 13 of the season.
Defending champions Cuba Domadores were the number one seeds in the draw, which resulted in them starting the season at home, against Morocco in week one. The Cuban team lost just once in WSB in their debut season away to Russian Boxing Team in the group stages, and they will seek to avenge that loss in week ten this time around.
Russian Boxing Team reached the semi-final stage last season, in part due to their excellent home form, and they start the season at home to Algeria. Consistently excellent in WSB, the Russian Franchise are always contenders to win every match they compete in, and there are many within the boxing world who consider this to be their year.
British Lionhearts reached the quarter-finals in Season III, and after missing Season V, they return to WSB with a team full of confidence and flair. Boasting many decorated medalists from a variety of international competitions, including eight medalists from the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, the return of the Lionhearts has resulted in much media attention in Britain, and they will be looking to start their season in style.
Mexico Guerreros were the Franchise to eliminate British Lionhearts in Season III, but failed to sparkle last season. As one of the proudest boxing nations in the world, they will be giving it their all to succeed in Season V, and after a tricky opening tie away in Ukraine, Mexico then have two home fixtures in a row against their African competitors, and will be hoping that a quick start will help them to qualify for the knock-out stages.
China Dragons are back in WSB after fielding the Beijing Dragons in Seasons I and II, and after much success in international boxing competitions over the last two years, their squad will be confident of causing upsets. There are no easy contests in WSB, but China’s start to the season is a particularly tricky one, as they will face Britain, Russia, Ukraine and Cuba in their first four matches.
Lastly, Ukraine Otamans have consistently qualified for the knock-out stages of WSB during their history in the competition, and they will be looking to reclaim the form they showed in reaching the Finals in the third season of WSB.
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