On the same day as the World Series of Boxing 2011-2012 season draw in Astana, Kazakhstan, the AIBA Executive Committee approved some amendments to WSB Technical and Competition Rules to make the competition even more attractive. The key changes concern the boxing squads and the competition format.
The minimum number of boxers in one franchise for the second season will be 15 and there will no longer be a limit on the maximum number of boxers. The minimum number of international boxers per squad is as follows:
– For a 15-boxer squad: 4
– For a 16 to 18 boxer squad: 5
– For a 19 to 20 boxer squad: 6
– For a squad with more than 20 boxers: at least 7.
The maximum number of international boxers from the same country per franchise remains as 2.
In a major change to the competition format, the teams have been divided into two intercontinental groups, with each team facing the other team in the group once at home and once away. This means that there will be a total of 10 matches for each team in the regular season.
New rules in the event of draws mean that in the conference rankings, the ranking of the teams with equal points will be decided by (in order of priority):
– Least number of walkovers;
– Superior number of matches won;
– Superior number of matches won among the teams in question;
– Superior number of bouts won among the teams in question;
– Superior number of bouts won;
– Superior number of accumulated individual points.
In order to ensure that the winners and runners-up in each group do not meet each other before the team finals, the playoff schedule is as follows:
Quarterfinal 1: A1 – B4
Semi-final 1: Winner QF1 – Winner QF2
Quarterfinal 2: B2 – A3
Quarterfinal 3: A2 – B3
Semi-final 2: Winner QF3 – Winner QF4
Quarterfinal 4: B1 – A4
The quarterfinals, semi-finals and team final will be played in a knock-out system, on a home-and-away basis (two legs) and the winner is determined by the number of most bouts won. If the scores are drawn after the two legs, the winner will be decided by a sudden death bout. The weight category of the sudden death bout for all play-off matches has already been determined by a draw.
QF1: Heavyweight
QF2: Middleweight
QF3: Heavyweight
QF4: Light heavyweight
SF1: Lightweight
SF2: Lightweight
FINAL: Lightweight
During the regular season, an individual ranking will be established per weight category. The ranking will be decided by the highest number of wins during the regular season. In case of equal amount of wins, it will be decided by (in descending order):
– Number of bouts competed in, less is prevailing;
– Amount of wins by walkovers, less is prevailing;
– Amount of technical draws, more is prevailing;
– The head to head results;
– Highest number of bouts won in away matches during the Regular Season;
– Highest number of points per judge obtained in victories. In case of a knock-out the winner will be awarded fifty (50) points per judge;
– Least number of warnings during the regular season.
The new Technical and Competition Rules for the World Series of Boxing will be published shortly on the WSB website.