Flawless Cuba Domadores power into WSB Season VI Final with 10-0 win over Uzbek Tigers

The Cuba Domadores booked their place in WSB Season VI Finals in emphatic fashion on Friday night, repeating their superb first-leg whitewash of Uzbek Tigers to take the match 10-0. The Cuban side were once again in unstoppable form, punishing the slightest mistake from their opponents and showing just why they will be many people’s favourites for this year’s title, whether they face British Lionhearts or Astana Arlans Kazakhstan.

The Domadores’ top flyweight Yosbany Veitia continued his excellent record in the competition with an opening win against Abrorjon Kodirov, deputising for Shakhobiddin Zoirov. Veitia quickly found his rhythm, and despite Kodirov’s best efforts to find a way into the bout, the 24 year-old Cuban had an inspired fourth round and his victory sealed the two-leg tie for the hosts.

With their place in the final already secure, the first of Cuba’s three-time AIBA World Champions Lazaro Alvarez then continued the relentless onslaught against Uzbekistan’s Elnur Abduraimov. With the first two rounds going to Alvarez, Abduraimov rallied in the third with some strong right jabs but began to tire by the fifth, the Cuban’s speed ultimately proving too much to contend with.

London 2012 Olympic Welterweight Champion Roniel Iglesias was back to his very best against Strandja Memorial Tournament winner Makhmud Gaipov, dominating a one-sided affair to take a unanimous points win and show why he will be a favourite to retain his Olympic title this summer. Cuban team captain and triple AIBA World Heavyweight Champion Julio Cesar La Cruz was in no mood to sully his incredible WSB record either, patiently waiting for openings in Shukhrat Abdullaev’s defences. The Uzbek star battled hard to stay in the contest, but the fleet-footed La Cruz danced his way out of trouble time and time again to secure another comfortable win.

Flawless Cuba Domadores power into Season VI Final with inspired 10-0 win over Uzbek Tigers

That left super heavyweight Leinier Pero to complete the whitewash with a thrilling victory over Mirzohidjon Abdullaev that got the crowd to their feet. The Uzbek adopted some typically Cuban footwork to steer himself out of trouble early on as Pero seized the initiative, but despite a rousing last round he couldn’t match the Cuban’s scoring and the hosts romped through to a 10-0 win, notching up their ninth 5-0 score of the season and throwing down the gauntlet to their next opponents.

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.