Following the first three AIBA Pro Boxing Inaugural Title Events last week, the next five title matches will take place this weekend. Check out the previews for each weight division here, along with previews for this weekend’s World Series of Boxing action.
HEAVY 91 KG – FRIDAY, January 30 – Location: Catania – Venue: PalaCatania
Italian icon Clemente Russo will fight against Russia’s undefeated Aleksei Egorov for the APB Inaugural Title. Two-time AIBA World Championships gold medallist, and two-time Olympic Games silver medallist Russo has been one of the greatest fighters on the planet over the past ten years, but the number one seeded Heavyweight comes into this title match with a previous loss against the man he is facing.
After winning his opening week match by knocking out Ukraine’s Roman Golovashchenko, Russo lost his week two bout against Egorov, with two judges scoring the fight for the Russian, with the third seeing it as a draw. Russo bounced back in week three, and successfully qualified for the title match as he won a clear points victory over Anton Pinchuk, taking the undefeated record of his opponent in the process.
2013 European Champion Aleksei Egorov still maintains a 3-0 record in APB, having won his first fight against Chouaib Bouloudintas. After defeating Russo in Italy, Egorov made sure of his role in the title match when he beat Germany’s Emir Ahmatovic on points.
Match schedule:
- 21:00: Charles JAVONTA (USA) vs Yamil PERALTA (ARG) W.O. (Exhibition Match: Marco CALIC (CRO) vs Yamil PERALTA (ARG))
- 21:30: Emir AHMATOVIC (GER) vs Anton PINCHUK (KAZ)
- 22:00: Chouaib BOULOUDINATS (MAR) vs Roman GOLOVASHCHENKO (UKR)
- 22:30: Clemente RUSSO (ITA) vs Aleksey EGOROV (RUS) (APB Inaugural Title Match)
FLY 52 KG – FRIDAY, January 30 – Location: Novosibirsk – Venue: SKK Server
Home favourite Mikhail Aloian and Mexico’s Elias Emigdio will clash for the APB Flyweight Inaugural Title match.
Aloian was the number one seed coming into the competition, and has lived up to expectations in APB, having won all of his matches. An opening win over Vincenzo Picardi expressed his dominance, and that was followed up with victory against Aleksandar Aleksandrov in week two. In the third round Aloian won via walkover against Mohamed Flissi.
His opponent in the title match has also had injury problems in APB so far, but has managed to stay undefeated. Perhaps the best Mexican fighter in the history of the World Series of Boxing (WSB), Emigdio defeated Argentina’s Fernando Martínez in week one in a very entertaining contest.
The Mexican missed week two due to an injury, but superbly qualified for the title bout in the Matches for Champions, enjoying an amazing win in a close match against the formerly undefeated Kazakh Ilyas Suleimenov who was ranked second.
Match schedule:
- 19:00: Redouane ASLOUM (FRA) W.O. vs Vincezo PICARDI (ITA)
- 19:30: Mohammed FLISSI (ALG) vs Ilyas SULEIMENOV (KAZ)
- 20:00: Fernando MARTÍNEZ (ARG) vs Jabursek LATIPOV (UZB)
- 20:30: Misha ALOIAN (RUS) vs Elias EMIGDIO (MEX) (APB Inaugural Title Match)
LIGHT 60 KG – FRIDAY, January 30 – Location: Almaty – Venue: Daulet Sports Complex
Two undefeated Lightweights (60 kg) compete in the AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) Inaugural Title Match, home favourite, and number one seed Berik Abdrakhmanov against Uzbekistan’s Hurshid Tojibaev.
The 3-0 Abdrakhmanov won his opening APB contest when he defeated Ireland’s David Oliver Joyce in a very close fight, and followed that up by taking the undefeated record of Charly Suarez in week two. In the Matches for Champions series he won a tight match over Robson Conceicao.
Tojibaev began his APB career with a comfortable win against Russia’s Dmitry Polyanskiy, and in week two he lost the first two rounds on all the scorecards against Brazil’s Robson Conceição, but his experience in the longer rounds saw him turn the fight around and defeat the AIBA World Championships silver medalist by split decision and maintain his undefeated record. He then went 3-0 in the Matches for Champions with a close victory against Charly Suarez.
Match schedule:
- 19:30: Artur BRIL (GER) vs Domenico VALENTINO (ITA)
- 20:00: Robson CONCEICAO (BRA) vs Charly SUAREZ (PHI)
- 20:30: David JOYCE (IRL) vs Dmitry POLYANSKIY (RUS)
- 21:00: Berik ABDRAKHMANOV vs Hurshid TOJIBAEV (UZB) (APB Inaugural Title Match)
LIGHT HEAVY 81 KG – FRIDAY, January 30 – Location: Sofia – Venue: Universiada Hall
Sofia hosts the APB Inaugural Title Match between 2-1 London 2012 Olympian Ehsan Rouzbahani against number one seed and Commonwealth Games silver medalist Kennedy St Pierre.
Iran’s Rouzbahani defeated Uzbekistan’s Oybek Mamazulunov in a very exciting match during the first week of APB action, but lost his second contest against Russia’s Nikita Ivanov. With everything on the line in the Matches for Champions series, Rouzbahani produced perhaps the best win of his career as he defeated French undefeated professional boxer Mathieu Bauderlique, and claimed his place in the title match.
St Pierre was upset by Germany’s Serge Michel in the first week of action, and was then defeated in week two by Mathieu Bauderlique to leave his qualification chances slim. However, the Mauritian displayed the mark of a potential champion in week three, as he sensationally knocked out the previously undefeated Russian Russia’s Nikita Ivanov in the fifth round of their bout.
Match schedule:
- 20:00: Oybek MAMAZULUNOV (UZB) vs Serge MICHEL (GER)
- 20:30: Mathieu BAUDERLIQUE (FRA) vs Nikita IVANOV (RUS)
- 21:00: Spas GENOV (BUL) vs Joseph WARD (IRL)
- 21:30: Ehsan ROUZBAHANI (IRI) vs Kennedy St PIERRE (MRI) (APB Inaugural Title Match)
LIGHT WELTER 64 KG – SATURDAY, JANUARY 31 – Location: Novosibirsk – Venue: SKK Server
Home favourite and 2013 European Champion Artem Zakaryan faces the rising German star Artem Harutyunyan for the second time in APB.
Zakaryan destroyed Ukraine’s Vyacheslav Kyslytsyn in week one, with the result of 60-54 on two scorecards, while the English judge had it 60-53 for the ruthless Russian. He made it 2-0 in week two when he defeated Artem Harutyunyan, again dropping zero rounds en route to a crushing victory. In week three, Zakaryan won by walkover against Juan Pablo Romero, which established his place in the title match.
Artem Harutyunyan claimed a bronze medal at the 2013 European Championships, and the German opened his APB account with a win over Olympic bronze medalist Boris Georgiev. His week two match was the resounding defeat to Zakaryan, but he rallied well in the Matches for Champions series when he beat Abdelkader Chadi on points.
Zakaryan has yet to drop a round in APB, and having already beaten Harutyunyan, he will be the overwhelming favourite, but on his day the German can beat anyone, and their title match will be full of intrigue regardless of past results.
Match schedule:
- 17:00: Boris GEROGIEV (BUL) vs Vyacheslav KYSLYTSYN (UKR)
- 17:30: Juan Pablo ROMERO (MEX)vs Abdelkader CHADI (ALG)
- 18:00: Evaldas PETRAUSKAS (LTU) vs Carlos AQUINO (ARG)
- 18:30: Armen ZAKARYAN (RUS) vs Artem HARUTYUNYAN (GER) (APB Inaugural Title Match)
PREVIEW: WSB Regular Season Week 3
The Atlas Lions meet the Lionhearts in a potential Classic in Casablanca
After defeats in their opening two World Series of Boxing (WSB) matches, Morocco Atlas Lions will be hoping to move up the Group A table when they host British Lionhearts.
The Lionhearts won their first WSB match against China Dragons, but lost against Ukraine Otamans in week two, and are looking to resume their winning ways away in Africa.
A marvelous venue hosts the action, and the watching fans at the Hyatt Regency, Casablanca will enjoy five fights of terrific action.
On Friday 30th January, fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 22:00 GMT at AIBABoxingTV.com.
The Light flyweights (49 kg) are in action first, where Moroccan National Champion Zouhair El Bekkali seeks his first WSB win of the season after losing his opening contest against Joahnys Oscar Argilagos Perez.
His opponent, the Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Ashley Williams also lost his first match against China’s He Junjun, although the Welsh star improved as the fight progressed.
Lionhearts Bantamweight (56 kg) Qais Ashfaq is 1-0 after beating Diao Jianhao in week one, and he looks to maintain his undefeated record against 0-1 Mohamed VI Trophy winner Mohamed Hamout.
Morocco’s Hamza El Barbari lost his week one match against Cuba’s dominant Yasniel Toledo, and will hope to improve on his recent form in his Light welterweight (64 kg) clash with England’s Sam Maxwell who dominated Sairike Tuoliaowutayi in London.
AIBA World Championships bronze medalist Middleweight (75 kg) Anthony Fowler won his opening contest against Zhou Di, but suffered a severe cut in the process.
Just over two weeks from that fight, will the injury be healed enough for him to beat exciting Moroccan Said Harnouf.
In the last fight of the evening, Lithuanian Heavyweight (91 kg) Vitalijus Subacius represents the Atlas Lions, and the former AIBA World Championships quarter-finalist faces Romania’s British Lionhearts fighter Ionut-Mirel Jitaru, who lost his opening WSB match against Josip Bepo Filipi.
Can China Dragons pick up their first win of the season against Ukraine Otamans?
Week three of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) includes an intriguing Group A clash with China Dragons hosting Ukraine Otamans.
The returning Chinese Franchise have yet to win a match in the competition this season, while Ukraine are full of confidence having won their first two matches.
Therefore, the five bouts at the Mangrovetree Convention Center, Sanya will have huge importance for both teams, and on Friday 30th January, fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 19:30 (GMT +8) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
Chinese Light flyweight (49 kg) LI Jiahao makes his first WSB appearance of the season in fight number one, and he faces Uzbekistan’s Hasanboy Dusmatov representing the Otamans, who is 1-0 this season after an opening win against Joselito Velázquez Altamirano.
Dusmatov tired in the middle part of his fight against the Mexican, which Jiahao will look to take advantage of.
Ukrainian Bantamweight (56 kg) Mykola Butsenko, a former AIBA World Championships bronze medalist displayed just why he was ranked in the top ten of WSB last season as he won every single round against Mexico’s Sergio Alfredo Chirino Sánchez in week one.
He looks to go 2-0 against Diao Jianhao who is 0-1 having lost his opening match to England’s Qais Ashfaq.
China’s Light welterweight (64 kg) Sairike Tuoliaowutayi also lost his first WSB match to Samuel Maxwell, and will have to improve against Ukraine’s Dmytro Grynchenko who is making his first appearance of the season.
Huang Jiabin will hope to make a winning start to his WSB career, and the Dragons fighter competes in a magnificent Middleweight (75 kg) bout as he faces Uzbekistan’s Hurshidbek Normatov, who will look for his second win of the season for the Otamans after his opening victory against Misael Uriel Rodríguez Oliva.
The Heavyweights (91 kg) complete the action in Sanya, and China’s Li Mingtao, who has won many tournaments over the course his career, faces 2006 European Champion Denys Poyatsyka who didn’t drop a single round against Christian Demaj in his first WSB match.
Algeria Desert Hawks aim for first WSB victory against Mexico Guerreros
Mexico Guerreros rebounded from an opening World Series of Boxing (WSB) loss to Ukraine Otamans by defeating Morocco Atlas Lions in week two.
They will look to maintain the momentum when they host the second African Franchise, Algeria Desert Hawks, who were whitewashed by Cuba Domadores last week.
Deportivo IV Centernario, Aguascalientes is the venue for this Group A clash, and on Friday January 30th 2015 fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 20:30 (GMT -6) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
Light flyweight (49 kg) Joselito Velázquez Altamirano narrowly lost his opening round match against Hasanboy Dusmatov, and will look to make amends for Mexico against Algeria’s speedy Youcef Soltani.
The second fight of the night is at Bantamweight (56 kg) and Mexico’s Brian González will look to use his past WSB experience as he faces African Boxing Championships gold medalist Khalil Litim.
Light welterweight (64 kg) sees an intriguing contest between Raúl Curiel García, who claimed the first win of the season for the Guerreros Franchise, with victory over Volodymyr Matviichuk. This time he meets Mohamed Boudiaf who will look to spring a surprise in Mexico.
Misael Uriel Rodríguez Oliva lost his opening Light heavyweight (81 kg) contest but will be confident to win at home against former Algerian youth sensation Azzouz Boudia.
In the last fight of the evening, Mexican Heavyweight (91 kg) Daniel Paniagua faces multi-time championship winner Bouziane Houna.
Rafako Hussars Poland and Argentina Condors both look for their first WSB win
Both Rafako Hussars Poland and Argentina Condors are still searching for their first World Series of Boxing (WSB) victories of the season, which makes this Group B clash a tantalising fixture.
After losing away in Puerto Rico, Poland were within one round of defeating Astana Arlans Kazakhstan, but eventually lost the match, while Argentina are 0-2 after two defeats.
Hala OSiR Włocławek is the venue for this match, and on Saturday January 31st 2015 fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 20:30 (GMT +1) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
Home favourite Dawid Sebastian Jagodzinski lost his opening match in Puerto Rico, and will look to avert that slide at Light flyweight (49 kg) against Argentina’s Junior Zarate who won his opening fight against Nico Hernandez.
At Bantamweight (56 kg) Poland’s Sylwester Kozlowski makes his first appearance of the season against the Argentine stylist Ignacio Perrin who also makes his WSB season debut.
Light welterweight (64 kg) Damian Kiwior already has WSB experience, but lost his opening match of Season V, and he will seek revenge against Roban Sanchez.
One of the best fights of the night should be the Middleweight (75 kg) contest between Tomasz Jablonski, who knocked out Jean Alicea in week one, against Argentina’s Christian Zarate who packs a very exciting style.
The last bout of the evening is at Heavyweight (91 kg), where Poland’s Igor Pawel Jakubowski will look to continue the momentum of his first week stoppage victory against Elber Passos.
USA Knockouts bid to remain undefeated against a confident Caciques Venezuela
After achieving one of the most surprising results in the history of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) last week when they destroyed Azerbaijan Baku Fires, Caciques Venezuela travel North as they face the undefeated USA Knockouts who have been one of the surprise packages of the season.
The American Franchise have enjoyed wins over Argentina Condors and Italia Thunder, and will look to make it three out of three against the confident Venezuelan side.
A marvelous venue in the Miccosukee Sports & Entertainment Dome, Miami hosts this Group B fixture, and on Friday January 30th 2015 fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 20:00 (GMT -5) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
An evening of much action begins at Light flyweight (49 kg) with America’s Nico Hernandez looking for his first win of the season against Venezuela’s rookie Yoel Finol who impressed in a losing WSB debut.
The Bantamweights (56 kg) fight next, and Francisco Martinez representing the Knockouts is seeking his second win in a row when he faces José Vicente Azocar who lost his opening fight against Meirbolat Toitov.
Tra-Kwon Pettis is a very exciting boxer, and makes his first appearance of the season for USA in a tough Light welterweight (64 kg) clash with Luis Arcón who narrowly fell to defeat in Kazakhstan.
Jose Endry Saavedra Pinto is ranked in the top 15 in AIBA’s rankings, and the Venezuelan meets America’s WSB Middleweight (75 kg) veteran Anthony Campbell who won his opening week contest by a round one knockout.
The Heavyweights (91 kg) finish the night in Miami, and Josh Temple will be itching to get into the ring following his week one walkover victory, and he will be hoping Alfonso Flores will make it to the ring following the Venezuelan fighters third round loss in week one.
Will Azerbaijan Baku Fires recover from shock against Astana Arlans Kazakhstan?
A rematch from the semi-finals of Season IV of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) is perhaps the jewel of the third week of Season V, as Azerbaijan Baku Fires host Astana Arlans Kazakhstan.
The Baku Fires suffered a humiliating loss in week two away in Venezuela, while Kazakhstan have remained undefeated so far this season.
It was Azerbaijan who reigned victorious over two legs last time out, and they host this Group B fixture at the Guba Olympic Complex, where on Saturday January 31st 2015 fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 19:00 (GMT +4) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
Light flyweight (49 kg) Rasul Saliyev makes his first appearance of the season against Temirtas Zhussupov who is competing in his second WSB campaign for Astana Arlans Kazakhstan.
Magomed Gurbanov is currently enjoying a winning run in WSB, and the entertaining Bantamweight (56 kg) is in action for The Baku Fires against the relatively unknown Nursultan Kochshegulov.
Light welterweight (49 kg) Gaybatulla Gadzhialiyev is a WSB legend, and he dismantled Italy’s Olympic and AIBA World Championships bronze medalist Vincenzo Mangiacapre in week one.
He faces further tough opposition against Astana Arlans Kazakhstan boxer Askhat Ualikhanov, who was impressive last season for his Franchise.
In the penultimate fight of the evening, Middleweight (75 kg) Jaba Khositashvili competes for Azerbaijan against Kazakhstan’s exciting Meiirim Nursultanov who stopped Juan Rodríguez in the fourth round of his first week contest.
The youthful Azeri Heavyweight (91) Rail Mammadli completes the action in the last fight, but he will be a massive underdog against Vasiliy Levit who is coming off a stoppage win in his first WSB match of the season.
Will Russian Boxing Team defeat Cuba Domadores for the second time in WSB history?
Cuba Domadores have achieved a perfect ten out of ten in results so far in Season V of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) but face their toughest test to date in week three against Russian Boxing Team, the only Franchise to defeat Cuba in WSB history.
Both of Cuba’s wins so far this season have come against African opposition, while Russian Boxing Team are also undefeated from their sole WSB contest against China Dragons.
Ciudad Deportiva, La Habana is the venue for this Group A match, and on Friday January 30th 2015 fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 20:30 (GMT -5) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
The first fight of the evening is at Light flyweight (49 kg) and Cuba’s 2013 AIBA Junior World Champion Joahnys Oscar Argilagos Perez will look to make it 2-0 this season against 2011 European Championships silver medalist Belik Galanov of Russia.
Olympic champion Robeisy Ramirez is in action next at Bantamweight (56 kg) for the Domadores, and he is also looking for his second win of Season V when he faces World Cup of the Petroleum Countries gold medalist, and former European Junior Champion Bakhtovar Nazirov.
Light welterweight (64 kg) action follows, as two-time AIBA World Championships silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist Yasnier Toledo puts his overall WSB career 6-2 record on the line against Russia’s exciting Avak Uzlian.
Cuban Middleweight (75 kg) Arlen Lopez stopped Badreddine Haddioui in week one of Season V, so Russian WSB veteran Maxim Gazizov will have to be at his very best to avoid a similar result in Havana.
The night ends at Heavyweight (91 kg) with the WSB Season IV boxer of the year Erislandy Savon looking to make it 2-0 for the season, and 10-0 overall in the competition as he meets the powerful Dmitriy Zaytsev.
