On an important Friday night of WSB action for Group B, the Morocco Atlas Lions saw their slim chances of making it through to the play-offs snuffed out by a determined Mexico Guerreros team who move up to third place, just a point behind USA Knockouts. The two sides will now meet in Week 10 in Aguascalientes in a match that could decide who joins British Lionhearts in the next round.
The 3-2 scoreline was a repeat of the Week 2 fixture between the two sides, but this time around the hosts had the advantage before a punch had been thrown, with Morocco Atlas Lions’ London 2012 Olympian Abdelali Daraa taking his tie against Guerreros’ young Jose Daniel Rojas by walkover.
First in the ring was Abdellah Aballagh replacing Ahmed Bourous at super heavyweight, but he faced a determined opponent in the Guerreros’ Danish talent Kem Ljungquist. Aballagh struggled to come to terms with the WSB debutant in the opening rounds, and the southpaw dominated to tie the match at 1-1 with a unanimous points win.
The visitors then took the lead when their French star Souleymane Cissokho brilliantly counter-attacked his way through his welterweight bout with Azeddine Tamsamani, eventually delivering a series of big left hooks that ended the bout by TKO midway through the final round.
A tight bout between lightweights Abdellah Boudrar and Guerreros’ exceptional Lindolfo Delgado then put the match beyond the hosts’ reach. Delgado was tactically superior and the more powerful of the two, denying a spirited challenge from Boudrar to edge the judges’ decision.
With the match won, the highly anticipated bout between Atlas Lions’ Dutch star Peter Mullenberg and Guerreros’ second French athlete Mamadou Bakary Diabira became a showcase of brilliant boxing from the light heavyweights. Mullenberg delivered some fine combinations with unnerring accuracy to which Diabira could find no answer, and the experienced Dutchman cantered to a win, making it 3-2 on the night but leaving the Atlas Lions adrift at the foot of Group B.
The Morocco Atlas Lions are still chasing a first win of Season VI at the half-way point of the preliminaries, and the team will be hoping that the crowd can lift them to a famous win against Mexico Guerreros on Friday night. The Guerreros dominated their home fixture in Week 2, and need another big result if they are to keep within reach of Group B play-off rivals USA Knockouts.
Morocco Atlas Lions’ London 2012 Olympian Abdelali Daraa narrowly lost his opening Season VI bout against British Lionhearts’ Muhammad Ali, but has already earned a walkover against the young Mexican Jose Daniel Rojas, who was unable to box ahead of the contest.
Abdellah Boudrar will need to recall his best moments of Season V when he takes on Mexico Guerreros’ top lightweight Lindolfo Delgado in the second bout of the evening, before Azeddine Tamsamani makes his debut against the Guerreros’ French star Souleymane Cissokho.
Home fans ready to give Morocco Atlas Lions a lift against Group B rivals Mexico Guerreros in Casablanca
An all-European light heavyweight battle will see the Atlas Lions’ Dutch draft pick and European Confederation Boxing Championships silver medalist Peter Mullenberg meet Mexico Guerreros’ other French favourite Mamadou Bakary Diabira, before two super heavyweight debutants round off the action. Abdellah Aballagh replaces Ahmed Bourous for the hosts against Guerreros’ Danish talent Kem Ljungquist, with both boxers eager to open their WSB accounts in style.
Thursday night saw London’s packed York Hall venue welcome home a British Knockouts side coming off the back of two big WSB Season VI opening away wins. Victory in Miami in Week 2 and then in Casablanca a fortnight ago had put the hosts top of Group B, and a resounding triumph against Mexico Guerreros cemented their position after Week 6.
The light flyweights were the first to face off, with the Guerreros’ Joselito Velasquez using his left hook brilliantly in the tight opening exchanges. Lions’ WSB debutant Galal Yafai also found the target several times early on, and midway through the second round Velasquez pulled up with a shoulder injury, leaving a grateful Yafai to open his WSB account with a TKO win.
Commonwealth and European Confederation silver medallist Qais Ashfaq stepped in to the team’s bantamweight slot with confidence, taking a superb contest against Mexico’s Sergio Chirino by unanimous decision. At 2-0 up, Pat McCormack had the chance to seal the win against Mexico’s Rio 2016 qualifier Raul Curiel, and was composed in the opening exchanges as he sought away through his opponent’s solid defences. Curiel found his range in the third round but McCormack was picking his moments to attack brilliantly and a unanimous judges’ decision put the hosts into an anassailable 3-0 lead.
The biggest cheer for the evening so far then came with the return of Anthony Fowler to the British side as he looked to banish a difficult 2015 and focus once more on WSB and his Olympic preparations. Fowler looked strong against Misael Rodriguez and controlled the ring as both boxers landed some big blows in the second round, and even as Rodriguez delivered a rousing finale, the Lionhearts star had done enough to guarantee a unanimous decision in his favour.
At 4-0 up, Lionhearts’ local hero Lawrence Okolie stepped in to the hall to a rapturous response, and took less than one round to dispose of Mexico’s debutant Jared Barraza, putting him on the deck within moments and giving the referee no option but to end the bout early.
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.
The gloves are on for World Series of Boxing teams, who will gather in Vargas, Venezuela on 14 August for the official Season VI Group Draw. 16 teams will face each other in four groups of four teams for the coveted WSB Trophy.
“World Series of Boxing is the home for the world’s greatest boxers, including future and past Olympic and World Champions. In Season VI the boxers, who have already won the quota for Rio 2016 and those, who will contest their chance for the Olympic ticket will face each other in a series of remarkable matches. It will truly be the battle of the best”, said AIBA Executive Director and CEO of the World Series of Boxing Karim Bouzidi.
“I would also like to welcome newcomers Uzbekistan, whose arrival to WSB demonstrates the competition’s global appeal to a vast audience all over the world”, he added.
According to World Series of Boxing Draw procedure, Astana Arlans Kazakhstan, Cuba Domadores, Mexico Guerreros and Russian Boxing Team will be seeded as Season V semi-finalists. The rest of the teams will be placed each based on the team ranking position in the Regular Season V of the World Series of Boxing.
Astana Arlans Kazakhstan WSB Season V Champions
“It is a huge honour to host Season VI World Series of Boxing Group Draw in Vargas. Caciques Venezuela have been competing in WSB for the first time last season and we are hoping to progress even further this time and face the world’s best boxing teams”, said General Manager of Caciques Venezuela Fran Lopez.
The following 16 teams will be drawn into four groups (A-D) of four teams each with the top seed in each group occupied by Season V semi-finalists:
Pot 1:
Astana Arlans Kazakhstan
Cuba Domadores
Mexico Guerreros
Russia Boxing Team
Pot 2:
Ukraine Otamans
Azerbaijan Baku Fires
Venezuela Caciques
Morocco Atlas Lions
Pot 3:
USA Knockouts
Puerto Rico Hurricanes
Rafako Hussars Poland
China Dragons
Pot 4:
British Lionhearts
Algeria Desert Hawks
Argentina Condors
Uzbekistan Team
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.
The Draw will also determine the weight categories for tiebreaker bouts for the play-off stage of Season VI of the World Series of Boxing.
Astana Arlans Kazakhstan qualified for their third World Series of Boxing (WSB) Final by defeating Russian Boxing Team 4-1 in the second leg of their semi-final, which gave them an overall 9-1 victory on aggregate.
Despite the 4-1 result, the second leg was a much closer event than the first night of action as Russia’s brave fighters pushed the Kazakh athletes throughout each match.
Kazakhstan will now meet defending Champions Cuba Domadores in the most eagerly anticipated WSB Final of all time.
4-1 Flyweight (52 kg) Olzhas Sattibayev confirmed Kazakhstan’s qualification when he defeated Russia’s 1-2 Karen Arutiunian in the first match of the evening.
Temirtas Zhussupov (Astana Arlans Kazakhstan)
Backed by a tremendously loud and supportive crowd, Sattibayev controlled the first three rounds with his busy style making life difficult for his Russian rival.
Arutiunian improved in the latter stages of the contest as he began to use a wider range of punches, but his late rally was not enough, and Sattibayev earned a unanimous decision victory.
Kazak Lightweight (60 kg) Zakir Safiullin then doubled the lead for his team against Artur Subkhankulov, but he was forced to work hard for his success in every second of their bout.
This was an energetic contest which saw both boxers throw many punches, but it was Safiullin whose skills impressed a little more in the first two rounds.
Subkhankulov began round three with more intent, and continually pressed forward against a more defensive Safiullin which impressed the judges in the frame.
Channelling the success of his teammates over the course of this season, the Kazakh star averted the third round crisis, and was awarded the bout by one round on all three scorecards.
Daniyar Yeleussinov (Astana Arlans Kazakhstan)
Another close match was found at Welterweight (69 kg) where 2013 AIBA World Champion Daniyar Yeleussinov edged a narrow split decision win over Russian debutant Iagub Nuriev.
Although he was making his first appearance of the season, Nuriev was confident against his decorated opponent, and reacted well to losing the first two rounds by staging an incredible comeback as the five round distance suited his style.
Yeleussinov tired at the beginning of the fourth round, and was forced into a brawl with Nuriev, with the World Champion unable to control the Russian mauler in the fifth round either.
Nuriev was relentless in his attacks and he attempted to rough up Yeleussinov to force a stoppage that would give him one of the most surprising results in WSB history.
It was not to be however, as Yeleussinov held on to take the match to the scorecards, where two judges awarded him the contest by one round, with Nuriev winning on the third scorecard.
This was one of the most entertaining WSB matches of all time, and Nuriev is a boxer to watch next season.
Russia claimed their lone victory in the semi-final at Light heavyweight (81 kg) when 2-0 Eduard Yakushev outpointed Nurdaulet Zharmanov.
Yakushev lost the first round as he struggled to deal with the movement of Zharmanov, but he reacted well to the task in hand, and won all of the four remaining rounds with quick punches and rugged strength.
Super heavyweight (91+ kg) Ivan Dychko sealed the 4-1 victory for Astana Arlans, and won his opening bout of the season as he stopped Russia’s Ruslan Shamalov.
Dychko’s power was evident in the first round, and he began the second frame impressively, with a huge right hand sending Shamalov down the canvas.
The Russian athlete was brave in returning to his feet, but the referee was forced to stop the contest as he was in no position to continue.
Astana Arlans Kazakhstan has now won 15 of their 16 matches this season, and will be full of confidence heading into their Final with Cuba Domadores.
Results: Astana Arlans Kazakhstan vs Russian Boxing Team Leg 1
Amazing Astana Arlans Kazakhstan dominate Russian Boxing Team in semi-final first leg
A powerful first leg performance from Astana Arlans Kazakhstan resulted in a 5-0 victory over Russian Boxing Team.
This result means that Russia need to win every match of tomorrow’s second leg, including a tie-breaker bout to overhaul Astana Arlans and qualify for the WSB Final.
Kazakhstan began the fixture strongly as their lower weight class boxers took them into an early lead, and their grip tightened as the matches progressed.
3-1 Light flyweight (49 kg) Temirtas Zhussupov gave Kazakhstan a perfect start as he won every round against 1-1 Vadim Kudriakov in the opening match.
Zhussupov was the busier boxer throughout the contest, and managed to nullify the attacks of Kudriako while frequently choosing the right moment to launch his own punches.
Russian Boxing Team vs Italia Thunder
2013 AIBA World Championships bronze medalist Kairat Yeraliyev doubled Kazakhstan’s lead at Bantamweight (56 kg) when he outpointed Russia’s 1-1 Andranik Grigorian.
After Yeraliyev dominated the first three rounds, his Russian Rival finished strongly, but because of his poor start he could not make up the rounds difference.
Kazakh Light welterweight (64 kg) Samat Bashenov achieved his sixth win of the season, and put his Franchise into an unassailable lead in the third match, but was made to work very hard for his win by Russia’s 23-year-old Avak Uzlian.
All three judges awarded the first round to Uzlian who was busier and more effective in the first three minutes, before Bashenov took the next three rounds as his WSB experience became apparent.
Uzlian never gave up however, and dominated the last round, but Bashenov had impressed enough to secure the victory by unanimous decision 49-46, and 48-47 on two scorecards.
6-0 Middleweight (75 kg) Meiirim Nursultanov enjoyed a more comfortable triumph against Russian debutant Sukhrob Sidikov, as he dropped just one round on a single scorecard to make it 4-0 on the night for Kazakhstan.
Few boxers are as entertaining to watch in the ring as Nursultanov, and he delighted the home crowd with a very accomplished performance.
In the last match of the first leg, number one ranked Heavyweight (91 kg) Vassiliy Levit dominated Russia’s Vitaly Kudukhov to seal the whitewash for his team.
Levit has blown away the majority of his opponents this season, and his eighth success of Season V was no different.
The first three rounds saw Levit utilise power shots from both hands, before Kudukhov was disqualified midway through the fourth round.
This significant win means that Russia now need a miracle tomorrow night if they are to stage one of the most incredible comebacks in the history of this competition.
Russian Boxing Team 5 – 0 Italia Thunder
Preview: Astana Arlans Kazakhstan vs Russian Boxing Team Leg 2
Russian Boxing Team need a perfect night against Astana Arlans Kazakhstan
to reach WSB Final
After Astana Arlans Kazakhstan earned a 5-0 victory in the first leg of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) semi-finals, Russian Boxing Team begin the second leg knowing that they have to win all five bouts in this match to give themselves any chance of overturning the deficit.
Kazakhstan require just one victory to take them through to the biggest WSB Final of all time against defending Champions Cuba Domadores.
National Tennis Centre, Astana is the venue for this semi-final clash, where on Sunday 24th May fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 17:15 (GMT +6) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
A Flyweight (52 kg) contest will open the second leg as 3-1 Olzhas Sattibayev meets 1-1 Karen Arutiunian.
Sattibayev is a clever athlete in the ring who very quickly works out weaknesses in his opponents, while Arutiunian displayed his toughness during his quarter-final clash with Gaurav Bidhuri.
Although Kazak Lightweight (60 kg) Zakir Safiullin has amassed a relatively disappointing 1-3 record this season, all four of his matches have occurred away from home.
Safiullin will be relieved to be competing in Kazakhstan in this semi-final, but he comes up against a very difficult rival in Russia’s 1-1 Artur Subkhankulov.
Both of these boxers boast excellent stamina, which makes this a very difficult clash to predict.
Current Kazakh National Champion Aslanbek Shymbergenov is 2-1 in WSB so far in Season V, but has yet to perform to the best of his ability.
He will hope that he reaches top form in Astana when he battles Russian debutant Iagub Nuriev in a clash which could have huge significance on which Franchise reaches the final.
25-year-old Light heavyweight (81 kg) Nurdaulet Zharmanov has won medals at high level competitions throughout his boxing career, and makes his first appearance of the season for Astana Arlans against Russia’s 1-0 Eduard Yakushev.
Zharmanov boasts the more technically sound style of the two, but Yakushev is a confident competitor who carries significant power in his shots.
Week 13 Group A Match Ukraine Otamans vs Russian Boxing Team
The last scheduled bout of the evening will be a Super heavyweight (91+ kg) shootout between Ivan Dychko and 3-2 Russian mauler Maxim Babanin.
Although he has won medals at both the Olympic Games and in two AIBA World Championships, Dychko has not fought in WSB this season with Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic the number one Super heavyweight boxer for Astana Arlans.
Babanin lost his quarter-final match with Guido Vianello after a slow start, however Dychko should be wary of Babanin’s resilience, which has seen him finish the majority of his WSB matches strongly, including in his win over Britain’s Joseph Joyce.
If there is a requirement for a tie-breaker after the first five matches, a Heavyweight (91 kg) clash involving Yerkin Mukametzhan and Dmitry Zaytsev will determine the second WSB finalists.
World Series of Boxing (WSB) Season IV Champions Cuba Domadores earned an entertaining 5-0 victory over Mexico Guerreros in the second leg of their semi-final, and reached the WSB Final 10-0 on aggregate.
After their first leg whitewash triumph, Cuba began tonight’s action having already qualified for the Final as Mexico was unable to produce a boxer in the Light heavyweight (81 kg) division.
Ecuador’s Carlos Mina could not weigh-in for his proposed match with Cuba’s Julio Cesar La Cruz due to illness, so their contest was declared a walkover win for La Cruz which gave Cuba an unassailable 6-0 lead before a glove had been thrown in Havana.
Arlen Lopez vs Roberto Zariñana (Cuba Domadores vs Mexico Guerreros)
This was Cuba’s tenth 5-0 whitewash of Season V, and they will next meet either Astana Arlans Kazakhstan or Russian Boxing Team as they bid to become WSB Champions for the second year in a row.
Frank Osvaldo Zaldívar Santisteban displayed the strength of the Cuban team as he began the evening by winning his WSB debut against 4-4 Mexican Flyweight (52 kg) Orlando Huitzil Ahuatl.
Santisteban is a very exciting prospect, and impressed throughout his contest with the experienced Ahuatl.
Both Flyweights continually pressed forward, but it was the Cuban athlete who controlled the important elements of the bout, and eventually won 49-46 according to one judge, and 48-47 on the remaining scorecards.
Two-time AIBA World Champion Lazaro Alvarez earned Cuba’s third win of the evening, and took his Season V record to 8-0 in the process with a dominant performance over 5-2 Lindolfo Delgado.
Alvarez is one of the smoothest in-ring technicians of WSB, and his excellent versatility confounded Delgado in every round.
The penultimate match of this semi-final was a Welterweight (69 kg) rematch between Cuba’s Olympic and AIBA World Championships gold medalist Roniel Iglesias Sotolongo and Héctor Andrés Reyes Anguiano, where once again this season the Cuban star defeated his Mexican rival.
Sotolongo had struggled to truly impress in this campaign despite his many accolades, but he improved immensely in Havana to show exactly why he is regarded as one of the best boxers in the world.
Hard right hands and stiff jabs forced Anguiano backwards despite his attacking instincts, and the Mexican fighter was forced to take a standing count in the fifth round after being hit by a left hook.
All three judges awarded every round to Sotolongo who looks back to his brilliant best.
Cuba Domadores vs Mexico Guerreros (Regular Season Week 12 Match).WSB
7-1 Super heavyweight (91+ kg) Domadore Lenier Eunice Pero closed the semi-final in style for Cuba as he stopped former Pan American Games bronze medalist Jorge Quiñonez in round one of their contest.
Pero dropped Quiñonez with a left hook to the body less than a minute into the frame, and a follow-up shot to the midsection forced the end of the match shortly after.
Cuba now has a 73-7 record this season, and look virtually unbeatable heading into the WSB Final.
Astana Arlans Kazakhstan and Russian Boxing Team battle to reach the WSB Final
The second World Series of Boxing (WSB) semi-final features a mouthwatering two-legged tie between Season III Champions Astana Arlans Kazakhstan, and WSB veterans Russian Boxing Team.
Kazakhstan has lost just once this season, as they won 13 matches in a row before their winning streak was snapped by Italia Thunder in the last week of the group stages.
Astana Arlans also enjoy home advantage in both legs due to placing first in Group B, which was partly down to remarkable form in Kazakhstan, which has so far resulted in a dazzling 32-3 record in Season V.
Russia finished second in Group A after winning 10 of their 14 Regular Season matches, and qualified for the last four of WSB after eliminating Season II Champions Italia Thunder 9-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.
Both of these teams were eliminated at this stage in Season IV, so the tension will be high in each camp before the start of this fixture.
National Tennis Centre, Astana is the venue for this semi-final clash, where on Saturday 23rd May and Sunday 24th May fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 17:15 (GMT +6) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
The first leg begins at Light flyweight (49 kg), where 2-1 home favourite Temirtas Zhussupov battles 1-0 Russian Vadim Kudriakov.
Zhussupov is one of the fastest boxers in WSB and always looks to beat his opponent to the punch, while Kudriakov won every round of his quarter-final contest with Italy’s Gianluca Conselmo.
Russia’s 1-0 Andranik Grigoryan enjoyed a solid debut win for his Franchise in the quarter-final over Italy’s Riccardo D’Andrea, and the Bantamweight (56 kg) aims for his second success of the campaign against 2-0 Kairat Yeraliyev.
This could be one of the most entertaining matches of the first leg, as Grigoryan possesses a great range of punches, while 2013 AIBA World Championships bronze medalist Yeraliyev looked very impressive in his opening two Season V appearances.
Samat Bashenov was named the Best Asian WSB Boxer of 2013, and the Astana Arlans Light welterweight (64 kg) is undefeated this season with a 5-0 record, including three dominant home triumphs.
His semi-final rival will be Russia’s 23-year-old Avak Uzlian who has only competed once in Season V when he lost to Cuba’s Yasnier Toledo.
The penultimate match of night one is a fascinating Middleweight (75 kg) fight between the undefeated Meiirim Nursultanov, and Russian debutant Sukhrob Sidikov.
Nursultanov produced many remarkable results in the Regular Season, including a spirited win over Tomasz Jablonski where he took the undefeated record of the Polish fighter.
Sidikov has the difficult task of replacing the number one ranked Middleweight Petr Khamukov in Russia’s team, but he is an experienced competitor who will thrive on the opportunity he has been given here.
Kazakhstan’s Vassiliy Levit finished top of the Heavyweight (91 kg) rankings after seven splendid victories in the group stages, where only one of his victims managed to last all five rounds with the power-puncher.
Although Levit will look to finish the first leg in style for Astana Arlans, he will need to be wary of Russia’s Vitaly Kudukhov who has fought against many of the best boxers in the world throughout his distinguished WSB career.
All three of Levit’s home wins in the Regular Season came via TKO, and if he produces a similar performance in Astana it will give his Franchise renewed confidence heading into the second leg.
Arlen Lopez vs Roberto Zariñana (Cuba Domadores vs Mexico Guerreros)
Cuba Domadores vs Mexico Guerreros Leg 2:
Will Cuba Domadores go 16-0 in Season V following their second leg against Mexico Guerreros?
A marvelous 5-0 first leg victory for Cuba Domadores against Mexico Guerreros has already assured the Cuban team their place in a second successive World Series of Boxing (WSB) Final, as Mexico are unable to produce a boxer in all five of the scheduled weight categories of the second leg.
After Light heavyweight (81 kg) Carlos Mina was unable to weigh-in for his second leg contest with Cuba’s Julio Cesar La Cruz because of illness, his bout was declared a walkover victory for La Cruz, and with no Mexican reserve boxer available in the weight class, only four matches can now take place in the second leg.
The 5-0 defeat last night means that Mexico are unable to make up the difference on aggregate even if they win all four of the matches, so they are competing solely for pride in this fixture rather than a place in the final.
Cuba has won all of their 15 fixtures this season, with nine of those triumphs being whitewash victories.
Ciudad Deportiva, La Habana is the venue for this semi-final clash, where on Friday 22nd May fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 20:30 (GMT -4) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
Frank Osvaldo Zaldívar Santisteban makes his first appearance of the season in the opening match as he takes on 4-3 Mexican Flyweight (52 kg) Orlando Huitzil Ahuatl.
Santisteban is an exciting Cuban prospect, but Ahuatl boasts plenty of WSB experience having already competed in 35 rounds this season.
Two-time AIBA World Champion Lazaro Alvarez has been one of the best boxers in Season V of WSB, and the 7-0 southpaw finished top of the Lightweight (60 kg) rankings at the end of the Regular Season.
Alvarez meets 5-1 Lindolfo Delgado in Havana, with his Mexican opponent coming off an excellent quarter-final triumph away in Azerbaijan.
Both of these boxers possess superb boxing fundamentals and tactical brains, which should make a very entertaining event.
The penultimate match of this semi-final is a Welterweight (69 kg) rematch between Cuba’s Olympic and AIBA World Championships gold medalist Roniel Iglesias Sotolongo, and 2-1 Héctor Andrés Reyes Anguiano.
Sotolongo lost twice in the group stages and has had a relatively disappointing season by his own high standards, while Anguiano is fresh off a devastating knockout victory over Orkhan Khasmammadov in the quarter-finals.
It was the Cuban boxer however who won their first meeting in week 12 of the Regular Season, and the wide margin of that victory makes him the favourite to succeed again in Havana.
6-1 Super heavyweight (91+ kg) Domador Lenier Eunice Pero closes the semi-final as he meets former Pan American Games bronze medalist Jorge Quiñonez.
Pero is not the heaviest hitter in the biggest weight class of WSB, but the 22-year-old has excellent stamina for a Super heavyweight, and has already beaten decorated opponents this season including Russia’s Maxim Babanin.
A dominant 5-0 victory in Havana from Cuba Domadores over Mexico Guerreros extended their undefeated run in Season V of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) to 15 matches, and qualified the North American team into the WSB Finals for the second year in a row.
Only four matches will be able to take place in tomorrow’s second leg due to Light heavyweight (81 kg) Carlos Mina being unable to weigh-in and compete, which makes Cuba’s five match lead impossible to overhaul.
From the opening seconds of action Cuba displayed the skill and speed that has personified their boxing style for decades, while Mexico impressed despite fielding an inexperienced team which included three boxers making their season debut.
This was Cuba’s ninth whitewash victory of the season, and defeating them in the Final will be a hugely difficult task for either Astana Arlans Kazakhstan or Russian Boxing Team.
Cuba Domadores vs Mexico Guerreros (Regular Season Week 12 Match).WSB
The night began with an assertive victory at Light flyweight (49 kg) from Cuba’s Joahnys Oscar Argilagos Perez, who secured his sixth win of the season against Mexican debutant Jose Daniel Rojas Romero.
Perez is just 18-years-old, but fights in the manner of a much more experienced boxer, and his control of the match was clear from the outset.
Romero was dogged and occasionally elusive, but the speed of Perez negated all Mexican attacks, which allowed the Domadore to accurately pick his punches.
At the end of the contest, all three judges awarded every round to the electrifying youngster.
London 2012 Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez returned to WSB for the first time since January, and made up for lost time as he defeated Bantamweight (56 kg) Ivan Jesus Delgado.
Ramirez started the bout with great intent, stamping his authority across all three minutes of the first round with stiff jabs and sharp right hands.
Delgado improved from that point forward however, and though Ramirez claimed the second round according to the judges, the superior stamina of his rival saw him lose the third frame on two scorecards.
Despite his fading legs, Ramirez rallied to clinch the last two rounds, and he doubled Cuba’s advantage with a unanimous decision triumph.
Ionut-Mirel Jitaru vs Erislandy Savon (British Lionhearts vs Cuba Domadores)
Two-time AIBA World Championships silver medalist Yasnier Toledo then earned his seventh win of the season, and secured an unassailable first leg lead for Cuba against Roberto Zariñana Gomez.
Toledo was the better fighter in each round, and showcased his wide range of attacks which frequently troubled Zariñana.
Many Cuban fighters are blessed with phenomenal footwork, but Toledo’s is at another level entirely, and his quick feet enabled him to maneuver the bout as he saw fit.
Cuba’s lead increased further after 7-1 Middleweight (75 kg) Arlen Lopez widely outpointed Mexico’s Misael Uriel Rodríguez Oliva.
Lopez enjoyed a sizeable height and reach advantage, and his shot variety was impressive with his uppercuts a particularly potent weapon.
Arlen Lopez vs Roberto Zariñana (Cuba Domadores vs Mexico Guerreros)
WSB Season IV Boxer of the Season Erislandy Savon vaulted over the ropes into the ring before his Heavyweight (91 kg) meeting with Ecuador’s Julio Cesar Castillo Torres, and he was similarly jubilant after enjoying his eighth win of the campaign.
Both fighters had undefeated records prior to the start of the fight, and a cagey first round exploded into life in the last 30 seconds as it appeared that Castillo had knocked Savon down with a right hand.
Despite the referee indicating the knockdown, all three judges awarded the first round to Savon who began the second frame with intent, after perhaps feeling embarrassed at what had just occurred.
With menace in his eyes, a right-left combo knocked Torres down early in round two, before the Ecuadorian was forced to pull out of the fight moments later due to an injured nose.
The TKO win not only kept Savon’s unbeaten run going, but also assured Cuba of a place in their second successive WSB Final.
The World Series of Boxing (WSB) semi-finals begin with defending Champions Cuba Domadores hosting Mexico Guerreros over two legs.
Cuba have lost just one fixture in the history of WSB, and won all 14 matches in the Regular Season, qualifying straight through to this stage of the competition after finishing first in Group A.
They were especially dominant at home in Havana, losing only two individual contests across seven home matches with five 5-0 whitewashes included in that record.
Mexico finished third in Group A and lost twice to Cuba in the group stages, but they head into the last four of WSB with a huge amount of confidence after eliminating Season IV runners-up Azerbaijan Baku Fires 6-4 on aggregate in the quarter-finals.
That two-legged victory came away from home in Guba, and after success against one half of the Season IV finalists, there is plenty of belief in the Mexican squad that they can repeat the triumph once again in Cuba.
Mexico Guerreros vs Morocco Atlas Lions During The Regular Season
Ciudad Deportiva, La Habana is the venue for this semi-final clash, where on Thursday 21st May and Friday 22nd May fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 20:30 (GMT -4) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
The first leg begins with a fascinating Light flyweight (49 kg) contest between Cuba’s 5-2 18-year-old sensation Joahnys Oscar Argilagos Perez, and Mexican debutant Jose Daniel Rojas Romero.
Although he was ranked fourth at Light flyweight by the end of the group stages, Perez became the first Domadores to lose this season when he was defeated by Mexico’s Joselito Velázquez Altamirano after 20 consecutive Cuban victories.
Despite the difference in WSB experience, Perez should be wary having already lost to Mexican opposition earlier in the campaign, while the underdog Romero has everything to gain in this match.
London 2012 Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez returns to WSB for the first time since the third week of the campaign as he seeks to improve his season record to 3-0 against Mexico’s Ivan Jesus Delgado.
Ramirez is one of the most exciting boxing prospects in the world, and the slick southpaw is still just 21-years-old.
Delgado becomes the second Mexican boxer to make his debut in this important match, which means his coaches will be hoping that the Bantamweight (56 kg) will be able to hold his own against such an accomplished boxer.
Cuba’s 6-0 Yasniel Toledo finished top of the Light welterweight (64 kg) rankings at the end of the group stages, earning a Rio 2016 Olympic Games quota in the process.
He makes his seventh appearance Season V when he meets Roberto Gomez Zariñana, who is the third Guerrero to make his debut in this fixture.
Toledo is one of the most decorated boxers in a star-studded Cuban team having won an Olympic Games bronze medal and two AIBA World Championships silver medals, and he has excelled in WSB this season with six outstanding victories.
His terrific work rate and wide range of punches frequently causes havoc and panic in the majority of opposition corners, so Zariñana will have to concentrate for every second of their bout.
Arlen Lopez also finished in the Rio 2016 quota places at Middleweight (75 kg), and the 6-1 star has won all three of his home matches for Cuba this season.
His semi-final opponent is Mexico’s Misael Uriel Rodríguez Oliva, who has impressed onlookers this season despite a 2-5 losing record.
Oliva is a come-forward fighter who relies on relentless pressure to disrupt the attacks of his rivals, while Lopez has the power to quell the assault of most fighters in WSB.
Ionut-Mirel Jitaru vs Erislandy Savon (British Lionhearts vs Cuba Domadores)
The last fight of the first leg features two undefeated Heavyweights (91 kg) who are both eager to avoid losing for the first time this season.
Named the best boxer of Season IV, Cuba’s 7-0 Erislandy Savon has been unbeatable throughout his WSB career, and he mixes exceptional movement with sharp jabs and terrifying hooks.
His excellent form continued through the group stages of the fifth season, which exemplifies the dominant displays he regularly produces in this competition.
Ecuador’s 4-0 Julio Cesar Castillo Torres has won three of his matches for the Guerreros in hostile away territory, and his fluid style could cause Savon problems, as he has mostly faced shorter fighters this season.
Torres proved in his quarter-final clash against Leonid Charnabayeu that he has the ability to change his tactics midway through a fight, which is a huge asset that combines well with his composure in the ring.
This could be the most entertaining fight of the evening, and will hold huge ramifications heading into the second leg.
The 2015 Pan American Games will be held in Toronto, Canada from July 10-26, and 41 nations will compete in this prestigious multi-sport event across 36 sports, with thirteen boxing weight categories included.
There are six Franchises in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) from North and South America, and five of them will have athletes from their teams competing in Toronto.
WSB Season IV Champions Cuba Domadores has ten fighters, Caciques Venezuela has eight, USA Knockouts has six, Season V quarter-finalists Mexico Guerreros has five plus Ecuador’s Julio Cesar Castillo Torres also gained a place while competing for the Guerreros, while Puerto Rico Hurricanes has one.
Below are the full list of boxers from WSB competing in the Games, and their Season V records and rankings in their weight classes so far.
Light flyweight (49 kg)
#3 Joselito Velazquez Altamirano (Mexico) 6-1
#4 Joahnys Oscar Argilagos Perez (Cuba) 5-2
#6 Yoel Segundo Finol Rivas (Venezuela) 4-1
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