Exceptional weekend of high-octane boxing as Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder and Baku Fires set early WSB pace. The Italian outfit plunder their way past Astana Arlans then Baku make it two successive away victories after overcoming Paris United. Leipzig Leopards remain top of Group B after a scintillating display versus Istanbul Bosphorus while Beijing Dragons record first success of the campaign by triumphing over Mexico City Guerreros. Then in the final match, Los Angeles Matadors emphatically dispatch of Dynamo Moscow.
Match of the week
With so much high quality boxing throughout the weekend, this was a difficult choice. However after strong consideration, the honour goes to the Baku Fires who after overcoming the defending champions Paris United 3:2, have ensured they remain undefeated and now share top spot in Group B. It was the away team’s 21-year-old Azamat Murtuzalyev who won the decisive bout as the southpaw expertly overwhelmed the much taller Georges Mayer in style. All the Baku fighters that took to the ring over the weekend are competing in their first WSB season and after such a solid display in France, the team’s confidence is now sky high. Having declared that they had travelled to Paris to win, they did exactly what they set out to do and will now look forward to battle it out with the Leipzig Leopards in their next fixture for ultimate supremacy in the Group.
Thrashing of the week
Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder have really taken this competition by storm and after being billed as the early favourites they have sent shockwaves through Group A with their totally dominant display against the strong Astana Arlans outfit. With not only the top Lightweight but with the top ranked Light Heavyweight amongst their ranks, the Arlans were expected to put up a strong resistance however they were powerless against the continued pressure applied by Milan. Poster-boy Domenico Valentino overcame the odds to defeat the powerful Yerzhan Mussafirov and set the early tone in the match. Sergiy Derevyanchenko extended his unbeaten run to eight fights by TKOing newcomer Khussan Baitamov, allowing Clemente Russo to close proceedings with a win of his own to record this emphatic 5:0 victory.
Fighter of the week
Billed as the grudge match between the top two Light Heavyweights, Groguhe vs. Benchabla did not disappoint. Seeking revenge for having lost in the WSB Individual Championship finals to his opponent last season, Frenchman Ludovic ‘Matraque’ Groguhe of the Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder came out of the blocks firing, throwing punches from all angles to assert an early dominance over Abdelhafid Benchabla of Astana Arlans. Like a man possessed, Groguhe was unrelenting in his assaults, using his repertoire of shots to devastating effect. Benchabla was not only struggling to contain his opponent but was also finding it difficult to get grip on the canvas with his shoes. Groguhe then sent Benchabla sprawling to the canvas with a solid left hook in the second round and shortly after, the Astana Arlans corner threw in the towel to save Benchabla from further punishment.
Off the mark
After suffering a humiliating 5:0 defeat away to Baku Fires in the first week, then having to forfeit their second match, it was high time the Beijing Dragons got some points on the board to kick-start their season. Led by the exciting orthodox Chinese WSB Individual Lightweight Champion Zhimin Wang, the Dragons finally got themselves up and running with a hard-fought 3:2 victory over the tough Mexico City Guerreros. Beijing stormed to an early unassailable 3:0 lead through victories from Qingxian Mai, Dongxu Shang and the irrepressible Wang. Kennedy Katende and Mario Heredia got the consolations for the Mexico City Guerreros.
Sensation of the week
Leipzig Leopards’ 33-year-old Alexander Povernov, making his debut in WSB, announced his arrival on the scene with a resounding victory over the imposing Ukrainian Heavyweight Oleksiy Sivko. The German orthodox fighter was awe-inspiring as he completely dismantled his opponent. He will now not be taken lightly in this enthralling competition.
East vs. West verdict
In the fight dubbed Cold War 2.0, home team Los Angeles Matadors were ruthless as they dominated Dynamo Moscow to record a 4:1 win. Powerhouse David Imoesiri led the charges in his Heavyweight contest whilst another WSB veteran Raynell Williams also made his mark. The American team’s aggressive approach paid dividends as it got not only their fighters but the whole crowd fired-up. With the atmosphere at the Music Box in Hollywood electric, this victory is sure to give the Matadors they swagger back following a heavy defeat in Milan with next up a trip to India to face the Venky’s Mumbai Fighters.
The Bangkok Elephants vs. Venky’s Mumbai Fighters tie has been cancelled due to the widespread flooding in Thailand.
