Uzbek Tigers Hold Their Nerve To Earn Superb 6-4 Win Against Russian Boxing Team To Reach WSB Semi-Finals

The Uzbek Tigers were once again able to show their burgeoning WSB prowess on Saturday night as the new franchise repeated their impressive Quarter-Final first-leg performance in Russia with another 3-2 away win to take their place in the Semi-Finals. The 6-4 aggregate result sets up what could be the match of the season so far against a Cuba Domadores side that booked its place in the next round with a convincing win over Mexico Guerreros in Havana.

Saturday’s opening bout assumed huge importance with both sides looking to establish some precious momentum, and the responsabilitiy for the hosts fell to flyweight Viacheslav Tashkarakov, in for Karen Arutunian, against the Uzbek’s in-form AIBA Asia and Oceania Olympic Qualification Event winner Shakhobiddin Zoirov. The Tigers’ gifted 22-year-old boxed freely for a man making his WSB debut, using his greater speed to launch waves of counter-attacks that saw Zoirov win all five rounds against the Russian veteran and set the visitors on their way.

Two more debutants contested a short-lived lightweight bout as Uzbek Tigers’ Elnur Abduraimov dashed Dzhamal Badrutdinov’s hopes with a well-timed left at the end of the opening round from which he was unable to recover, the referee halting the match and putting the Tigers within touching distance of the semis.

Russian Boxing Team’s emerging welterweight star Albert Karibian was able to bring the hosts back into the tie as he edged a thrilling encounter against the highly respected Shakhram Giyasov. The powerful Uzbek made life uncomfortable for Karibian with some powerful right jabs in the first round, but the Russian remained on top to narrowly finish on the right side of the judges’ decision to make it 5-3 to the visitors on aggregate.

Uzbek Tigers Hold Their Nerve To Earn Superb 6-4 Win Against Russian Boxing Team To Reach WSB Semi-Finals

Russia’s Imam Khataev began his crucial light heavyweight class bout against Shukhrat Abdullayev with intent, only to see the Uzbek force his way back into contention at the half-way stage. Khataev caught his opponent in the third and, despite tiring badly, gave his side the chance of a memorable comeback as he closed the gap to just a point with one bout to go.

As the home crowd rose to the occasion, experienced Uzbek Mirzohidjon Abdullaev stepped up to quash any dreams of their team forcing a dramatic box-off with a comprehensive display against Andrey Afonin. Abdullaev reduced the fighting distance successfully in the opening minutes to take a lead that he refused to let slip, controlling the bout with timely jabs and taking a unanimous decision that saw the Uzbek Tigers safel through to a Semi-Final showdown against the mighty Cuba Domadores in their first-ever WSB campaign.

Uzbek Tigers’ Big Names Hold Key To Unlocking Russian Boxing Team’s Perfect Record in Season VI Quarter-Finals

One of the most eagerly awaited matches of the Season VI Quarter-Finals sees Russian Boxing Team host Uzbek Tigers in the city of Ulyanovsk on Friday and Saturday evenings. The Russians were the only team to finish the preliminaries with a 100% record, while the Tigers have made a hugely impressive start to their WSB story, leading Group D until the final week to ensure a Play-Off place at the first attempt. The Uzbek side has the strength in depth to push the Russians all the way, but here are some of the key battles that could make or break the tie:

49 kg – Bator Sagaluev (RUS) vs. Hasanboy Dusmatov (UZB)

Russian Boxing Team’s 24-year-old Bator Sagaluev won gold at the 2015 European Games and has been undefeated so far this campaign, defeating Venezuela’s Yonny Calderones and Argentina’s Nicolas Alfonso to help his team to the Play-Offs. With a reputation for exquisite right hooks and TKO wins, the home crowd will be baying for the light flyweight to deliver the goods once again.

Sagaluev’s opponent, however, is ASBC Asian Champion and 2016 Olympic qualifier Hasanboy Dusmatov, who boasts an unbeaten 9-0 record in WSB having previously boxed with Ukraine Otamans. Dusmatov won the previous encounter between the pair three years ago, and could repeat the feat in Russia.

69 kg – Albert Karibian (RUS) vs. Shakhram Giyasov (UZB)

Russian Team’s Albert Karibian is a promising young boxer who defeated Rafako Hussars Poland’s Damian Kiwior on his WSB debut in Szczecin earlier this season and then maintained an unbeaten record with wins over Argentina Condors’ Maximilian Ocampo and Venezuela Caciques’ Victor Pinango.

The welterweight will have to overcome one of the most improved boxers in the category, Uzbek National Champion Shakhram Giyasov, a man who, despite having to make his WSB debut in this high-pressure situation, has enough international AIBA Open Boxing experience to trouble the home boxer, including gold at the recent AIBA Asia and Oceania Olympic Qualification Event in Qian’an.

WSB Season VI : Six From Six For The All-Conquering Russian Boxing Team

Six from six for the all-conquering Russian Boxing Team as they beat Argentina Condors 5-0 in the final Group A match

Top of the table, unbeaten and with 24 wins out of 30 regular Season VI bouts, the Russian Boxing Team is the WSB franchise to fear as the competition prepares for its knockout stages. Just a day after beating Venezuela Caciques 4-1, the host franchise returned to the Academy Boxing Gym in Moscow and defeated Argentina Condors 5-0.

Famed for the scarcely credible power of his right hooks, Russian flyweight Bator Sagaluev was a heavy favourite in the first contest of the night against teenage WSB debutant, Nicolas Alfonso. The Baku 2015 European Games gold medallist proved the pundits right, as he cruised to a comfortable win against the Argentinean.

Fellow Baku 2015 European Games champion, Bakhtovar Nazirov took over in the bantamweight category. Argentina Condors’ unheralded Piero Carloni did momentarily surprise Nazirov with some strong body shots in the first round, but having gathered himself, the 21-year-old Russian went on the attack in round two and won by TKO in round three.

It was a far closer affair in the light welterweight class. Home boxer Avak Uzlian was, in the end, thankful for the three round lead he built at the start of the contest, as Argentina Condors’ Ronan Nahuel Sanchez came storming back to claim both the fourth and fifth rounds.

Sanchez’s compatriot Christian Zarate endured a frustrating time in his middleweight clash with former EUBC European Confederation Champion, Maxim Koptyakov. The experienced Zarate was never able to get inside the Russian’s defence and lost all five rounds 10:9.

The difference in class was pronounced in the closing contest, as 1.95m tall Sergey Kalchugin, who has fought internationally for 10 years, dominated his inexperienced Argentina Condors opponent, Dario Alcapan.

Argentina Condors finish bottom of Group C, despite winning two of their six matches, while the Russian Boxing Team advances to face Uzbek Tigers in the quarter-finals, a mouth-watering clash.

The Russian Boxing Team aim for a clean sweep against Group C rivals Venezuela Caciques in Moscow

The undefeated Russian Boxing Team will be looking to do the double over Venezuela Caciques on Friday evening and make it five wins from five in Season VI. The two highest ranked teams in Group C face each other in the Druzhba Sport Palace in Moscow.

The home team won’t have it all their way against the Venezuela Caciques, who trail them by just a point at the top of the table. Venezuela’s highly talented South American Youth Championship winner Franklin Jose Gonzalez takes on fellow flyweight Ovik Ogannisian in the first fight of the night. While Gonzalez won his opening Season VI fight with an impressive victory over Rafako Hussars Poland’s experienced WSB boxer Hamza Touba, Ogannisian lost his one and only encounter this season.

In the lightweight division Adlan Abdurashidov provided one of the stories of Season V, with a string of world-class performances securing qualification for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The 25-year-old Russian takes on Christian Palacio, who recorded an impressive victory on his WSB debut in Week 7, defeating the explosive Pole Mateusz Polski.

Two-time Season VI winner and Russian welterweight National Championship bronze medallist Albert Karibian will be favoured to make it a hatrick as he takes on Venezuela Caciques’ Victor Pinango. The 31 year old replaced WSB Boxer of Week 7 Balazs Bacskai in the Venezuela Caciques squad.

Top-ranked Russian light heavyweight Pavel Silyagin might be missing from Week 11, but compatriot Gamzat Gazaliev will still start as favourite in his bout versus Nalek Korbaj.

Silver medal winner in the famous Chemistry Cup, held in Germany last month, Andrey Afonin rounds off the action in his home country. The Russian faces Henrique Dos Santos Nascimento in the super heavyweight clash. The 1.93m Brazilian, who fights for Venezuela Caciques, was a thrilling winner in his debut WSB fight in Week 7.