In a final night of World Series of Boxing (WSB) Regular Season action, we have two matches that could have a major outcome on the playoffs for the season.
The Algeria Desert Hawks are lining up their top boxers, as are their opponents the Dolce & Gabbana Italia Thunder. Two Olympic medallists, one Russian the other Irish, are set to make their WSB debuts and Russia seems ready to make a serious assault on Cuba’s unbeaten record.
Algeria Desert Hawks vs. Dolce & Gabbana Italia Thunder
This is a critical match for the Italians as a win would see them overtake the Ukraine Otamans at the top of Group A. The Algerians are also highly motivated and are sending in some of their top boxers for this match, which was postponed from Week 2. World silver medallist Mohamed Flissi will be taking to the ring at Light Flyweight (46-49kg) where he is lined-up for a sensational fight against Ireland’s double Olympic bronze medallist and former European Champion Patrick Barnes.
Flissi has had a mixed record in the WSB so far and lost his last outing against the USA Knockouts’ Antony Chacon. For a boxer of Flissi’s calibre, the 2-3 record he now holds in the WSB isn’t really good enough. He has a tough opponent against whom he will attempt to improve that record in ‘Paddy’ Barnes however, who is making his WSB debut for the Italia Thunder. The Irishman won the 2014 Irish Elite Championships just a few weeks ago and also put in a solid performance at the AIBA World Boxing Championships Almaty 2013 before being unfortunately injured with a cut. A World silver medallist desperate to improve his record versus a double Olympic bronze medallist wanting to make a statement in his debut…Should mean fireworks!
That is not going to be the only top draw battle of the night however. Algerian Middleweight (75kg) Ilyas Abbadi is carving out a reputation for himself in the WSB as one of the Desert Hawks top performers. The 21 year old is now 4-2 in the WSB, whilst his French opponent Michel Tavares, who is boxing for the Italia Thunder, is one of the most experienced athletes in the WSB with a record of 13-7 across all four seasons so far. Heavyweights (91kg) Chouaib Bouloudinats and World Champion Clemente Russo are also likely to have an exceptional bout. The Algerian comes into the match with four seasons of experience in three teams and a record of 12-5. Russo meanwhile also has four seasons of experience and won the WSB with Italy in Season II; he is 18-2. This will make this another excellent fight in what could be one of the best nights of boxing in the whole Regular Season.
Russian Boxing Team vs. Cuba Domadores
Despite the fact that both teams are through to the quarter-finals, neither are backing down from this match. The big bout of the match will be between current World bronze medallist and WSB number one ranked Welterweight (69kg) Arisnoidys Despaigne and the WSB debut of Andrei Zamkovoi. The Russian is the current Olympic bronze medallist and also took silver in the 2009 World Championships in Milan.
It is true that this is the first time that he has fought over five rounds, but Despaigne only started doing that himself when the Domadores joined the WSB for Season IV last November. The Welterweight category is starting to look extremely interesting in the league, with Despaigne already holding off competition from his own team-mate, Olympic gold medallist Roniel Iglesias Sotolongo and Astana Arlans’ World Champion Daniyar Yeleussinov. Throwing Zamkovoi into the mix just made the category even more intense.
Elsewhere, one of Russia’s most experienced WSB boxers, Adlan Abdurashidov, will be taking on two-time World Champion and number one ranked WSB Lightweight (60kg) Lazaro Alvarez. The Russian has a 10-4-1 record so has plenty of know-how, but Alvarez is a cut above anyone he has faced in the WSB before. We will also get a chance to take another look at nineteen year old Cuban Super Heavyweight (91+kg) Yoandi Toirac, who impressed in his debut and will face a tough challenge in 25 year old Maxim Bab
