Mission Impossible for the USA Knockouts?
The World Series of Boxing (WSB) Season IV quarter-finals are almost done. After the Russian Boxing Team, the defending Champions Astana Arlans Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan Baku Fires already booked their tickets for the Final Four. The last spot will be allocated to the winner of one of the most exciting boxing events of the year: USA Knockouts vs. Cuba Domadores.
USA Knockouts (L – dark blue), Cuba Domadores (R – light blue)
Following the 5-0 success of the almighty Cubans last week in Havana, the Americans are well aware that only a clean sheet will send them to the semi-finals. In order to achieve that, they will count on the support of the Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire.
USA Knockouts vs. Cuba Domadores (1st leg score 0-5)
In the first bout of the night, Puerto Rican Anthony Chacon will once again try to make the most of his excellent footwork. The 19-year-old southpaw Light Flyweight (46-49kg), who defeated American Continental Champion Patrick Lourenco of Brazil, and stopped AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist Mohamed Flissi in his previous two appearances in Season IV, will now face another star in the shape of Yosbany Veitia Soto. Number one ranked in the weight category, the Cuban has so far won all of his five bouts in the WSB. An extremely high level of boxing is guaranteed in this fight.
At Bantamweight (56kg), US Ramon Cardenas Jr. is a newcomer in the WSB following his recent bronze medal at the 2014 US National Boxing Championships. The 18-year-old boxer will have a tough induction to the competition, facing the rather unknown, although 3-0 southphaw, Marcos Forestal. Former Cuban National Champion, Forestal, triumphed over Astana Arlans Kazakhstan’s Season III hero Bagdad Alimbekov in Week 9 and can therefore be considered as clear favourite in this battle.
Dominican Republic Carlos Adames is one of the best boxers who joined the US franchise this season with three wins (out of four bouts) including an impressive triumph over Serbian Branimir Stankovic of the Dolce & Gabbana Italia Thunder. His opponent, Yasnier Toledo Lopez, is one of the poster-boys of the Cuba Domadores and one of the best Light Welterweight (64kg) in the World. Toledo is a real virtuoso, with a defensive footwork similar to the Cuban salsa.
London 2012 Olympian from Ecuador, Marlo Delgado, also made his debut in this current WSB Season IV and holds a record of 1-2. Delgado will face the current Middleweight (75kg) Cuban National Champion, Yaciel Despaigne who isnew to the WSB,. Expect the unexpected between these two 20-year-olds.
In the last bout of the evening, at Heavyweight (91kg), Singapore 2010 Youth Olympian Joshua Temple (0-2) will face another superstar following his defeats against Dolce & Gabbana Italia Tunder Clemente Russo and Algeria Desert Hawks Chouaib Bouloudinats. This time round it is the Great Erislandy Savon and his 5-0 record (including one KO and two TKOs) which stands in front of him. Tough job for Temple…
HEAVYWEIGHTS (5 X 3)
(L) JOSHUA TEMPLE* (0-2, WSB #27), St. Louis, Missouri, USA 199 ½ lbs.
(R) ERISLANDY SAVON^ (5-0, 2 KOs, WSB #1), Guantanamo, Cuba 199 ½ lbs.
MIDDLEWEIGHTS (5 X 3)
(L) MARLO DELGADO* (1-2, 0 KOs, WSB #17), Quito, Ecuador 164 ½ lbs.
(R) YACIEL DESPAIGNE^ (0-0), Pinar del Rio, Cuba) 158 lbs.
LIGHTWEIGHTS (5 X 3)
(L) CARLOS ADAMES* (2-1, 0 KOs, WSB #5), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 140 lbs.
(R) YASNER TOLEDO^ (3-1, 0 KOs, WSB #2), Camasuey, Cuba 140 ½ lbs.
BANTAMWEIGHTS (5 X 3)
RAMON CARDENAS* (0-0), San Antonio, Texas, USA 123 lbs.
MARCOS FORESTAL^ (3-0, 0 KOs, WSB #3), Guantanamo, Cuba 122 ½ lbs.
LIGHT FLYWEIGHTS (5 X 3)
(L) ANTHONY CHACON* (2-0, 1 KO), WSB #5), San Juan, Puerto Rico 107 1/2 lbs.
(R) YOSBANY VEITIA^ (5-0, 0 KOs, WSB #1), 2-0, 1 KO), Villa Clara Province, Cuba 106 1/2 lbs.
The match takes place at Rockingham Park in Salem, New Hampshire. Doors open at 6:30, with the first match at 8pm, and the World Series of Boxing matches at 9pm. Tickets are still available.
