BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - JUNE 6 & 7, 2014
FRIDAY, 6TH OF JUNE 19:00 PRESS CONFERENCE of AIBA President and WSB Board Chairman, Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu 19:45 ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME 20:00 WSB FINALS MATCH DAY 1 PROGRAMME SATURDAY, 7TH OF JUNE 20:00 WSB FINALS MATCH DAY 2 PROGRAMME
Dear Boxing Friends, The fourth season of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) is coming to its culmination, and it is my great pleasure to wish you a warm welcome on the occasion of the Finals in the beautiful city of Baku, capital of Azerbaijan. This fourth season has been widely acclaimed as the most exciting, and certainly the most competitive in the history of the World Series of Boxing. One of the most noticeable aspects has been the sheer unpredictability of the action, with the vast majority of teams involved all competing at an equal level. 72 high-octane matches allowed us to witness and discover 507 top-level boxers from no less than 53 different countries. Over 200 hours of TV production delivered the best of the action to passionate audiences all over the world, allowing fans to closely follow and enjoy the competition; punch after punch, bout after bout. It is particularly pleasant and refreshing that the Champions Title will be contested between a WSB debutant team and a WSB veteran team. Cuba Domadores have displayed some truly amazing boxing in the earlier stages of the competition, only losing one contest, away against Russia in the group-stage. The Cuba Domadores got their revenge by beating Russia both home and away in the Semi-Finals, thereby reaching the WSB Finals for their first participation in the competition. The Azerbaijan Baku Fires had been competing in the WSB since the very first season, but had never managed to make it to the Finals before. They finally made it by overcoming the defending Champions, the Astana Arlans Kazakhstan, earning the deserved right for the dream Finals against the Cuba Domadores. We are therefore poised for these exciting and unpredictable Finals and I am certain that the athletes will offer us a tremendous spectacle on Friday and Saturday. I also have a thought for all the teams which participated in this year s WSB and would like to thank them for their professionalism, their dedication and most importantly for their sportsmanship, during what was a spectacular season. I look forward to seeing you next year on WSB, APB and AOB events! Yours Boxing, Ching-Kuo Wu AIBA President and WSB Board Chairman
Welcome message of the Azerbaijan s Boxing Federation President Mr. Kyamaleddin Geidarov: Dear guests, respectable members of AIBA family, I am very glad to see you again in Baku. Azerbaijan is becoming one of the world sport centers, and is now ready to receive the finals of the World Series of Boxing, which is very important competition for AIBA and Azerbaijan Boxing Federation. I am sure that this event will be organized at the highest level as was the Elite World Boxing Championship in Baku in 2011 and we will remember it for a long time. Sports policy founded by our National Leader Heydar Aliyev is being now implemented by the Head of our Country, the President of National Olympic Committee Ilham Aliyev. Azerbaijan is blossoming on the international sports arena as the most important international competitions are being successfully staged by our country. No wonder that the first European Games will be held in Azerbaijan as well. I am confident that you will be impressed once again.
Developed by AIBA, WSB is a unique concept in the world of boxing, with its innovative format of a premier boxing league. The league boasts franchises from four continents: Africa, Americas, Asia and Europe, bringing the best boxers from all ranks and nations to compete for international franchises. WSB provides boxers with further development opportunities by competing at the highest level with guarantees and stability over the long term, and at the same time retaining their Olympic eligibility. For the first time the world s top boxers can enjoy training in a team, with regular competition against world-class opponents and the opportunity of earning a regular salary, along with a performance based bonus system. The WSB marked a new era in the sport of boxing when it launched its first season on 19 November 2010. Since then the league has gone from strength to strength. 50 WSB boxers participated in the London 2012 Olympic Games, with 13 of them winning medals (two golds, four silvers and seven bronzes). Paris United became the first WSB Champion. The five winners of the WSB Individual Championships were awarded Champion s belts and secured direct qualification for the London 2012 Olympic Games. In 2011/2012, the 12 teams were split into two world groups to further enhance the global appeal of the league, the WSB Team Final saw Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder prevailing over Dynamo Moscow to be crowned WSB Champion. Season III (2012/2013) saw a popular switch away from city based teams to national ones, allowing supporters from across whole countries to fully get behind their teams. The balance of power in the ring shifted east last season, and after six months of hard fought competition, the 2012-2013 WSB Team Finals featured the Ukraine Otamans and Astana Arlans Kazakhstan. The entire season went down to a single tiebreaker bout, which saw the Astana Arlans win the most enthralling WSB Team Finals to date. The fourth season began in November 2013, and has been recognised as the most exciting, and most competitive in the history of the competition, enthralling audiences all over the world. One of the most noticeable aspects of Season IV has been the sheer unpredictability of the action, with the majority of the Teams involved all at an equal level.
10-Point-Must-System No vests or head guards During the Regular Season, teams are divided into two groups of six teams. Within each group, the teams meet once home and away, with each team fighting a total of ten matches. At the end of the regular season, the four top ranked teams in each group move into the Play-Offs. The Play-Offs consist of four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and one final match over two nights. WEIGHT CATEGORIES LIGHT FLYWEIGHT (46-49 KG) FLYWEIGHT (52 KG) BANTAM WEIGHT (56 KG) LIGHTWEIGHT (60 KG) LIGHT WELTERWEIGHT (64 KG) WELTERWEIGHT (69 KG) MIDDLEWEIGHT (75 KG) LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (81 KG) HEAVYWEIGHT (91 KG) SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT (91+ KG) REGULAR SEASON GROUP A GROUP B RANK TEAM PTS RANK TEAM PTS 1 Dolce & Gabbana Italia Thunder 26 1 Cuba Domadores 28 2 Ukraine Otamans 25 2 Astana Arlans Kazakhstan 22 3 Team Germany 12 3 Russian Boxing Team 20 4 USA Knockouts 12 4 Azerbaijan Baku Fires 18 5 Argentina Condors 9 5 Mexico Guerreros 7 6 Algeria Desert Hawks 8 6 Hussars Poland 4 PLAY-OFFS 2-8 (2-3) 8-2 (4-1) 8-2 (3-2) 6-4 (2-3) 6-4 (5-0) WSB CHAMPION 8-2 (4-1)
Although many people were expecting great things from Cuba Domadores in their debut WSB season, few would have expected them to be as dominant as they have been. Despite being placed in the so called Group of Death in the Regular Season, Cuba only lost one match out of ten with a narrow 3-2 away loss to Russian Boxing Team. An incredible six of their ten Regular Season matches were whitewashes, with Cuba winning all five contests on the night. Cuba finished top of Group B, with a total of 28 points, and 41 wins against just nine defeats. This result saw them quality through to the Quarter-Final stages, where they defeated USA Knockouts 5-0 at home in Havana, before winning 3-2 away in America. This led them through to the Semi-Finals, where they were drawn against Russian Boxing Team. In the first leg they gained revenge for their sole WSB loss with a spirited 3-2 away win in Moscow. In the second leg at home in Havana they asserted their dominance even further, with yet another whitewash 5-0 win, and a place in the Finals at the first time of asking. Azerbaijan Baku Fires have been in WSB since the inaugural season, but this is their first Finals appearance after years after almost getting to the big stage. Also in the Group of Death, Azerbaijan finished fourth in the group, winning five and losing five of their ten matches. However, The Baku Fires have had a phenomenal home record this season, winning six of their seven home matches, amassing a 28-7 record in Azerbaijan, where the Finals will take place. Their lone loss at home was a narrow 3-2 defeat to the team they will face in the Final, Cuba. After have defeated the Season II Champion Dolce & Gabbana Italia Thunder in the quarter-finals, they met the defending WSB Champions, Astana Arlans Kazakhstan, who won the first leg 3-2 in Almaty. In the second leg, The Baku Fires again proved to be dominant at home, winning 4-1, meaning they qualified for their first ever Finals via a 6-4 aggregate victory.
Azerbaijan Baku Fires have been part of the WSB family since the very first Season, and will be competing in their very first Final. The franchise performed spectacularly in the regular season in 2013/2014 and shown that they are always up for battle, and they are happiest when fighting the best, especially at home where they have earned a 28-7 record. The Azeri team has been however narrowly beaten (6-4) in the quarter-finals by eventual runners-up Ukraine Otamans. With the Finals taking place in their home country, they will be filled with confidence at the chances of a possible victory, even against the unstoppable Cuba. Having eliminated the defending Champions Astana Arlans Kazakhstan in the Semi-Finals, Baku Fires are about to compete for the main prize of the competition against the supreme Cuba Domadores.
The Cuba Domadores have been a revelation in their debut WSB this season. Unbeaten in all but the last Regular Season match against Russian Boxing Team, with an incredible 57-13 record, their very existence in WSB represents a milestone in the history of boxing. Filled to the brim with Olympians, Pan American and World Champions, the Cubans have won over a legion of fans among neutrals and not so neutrals alike. Aptly named the Domadores, which translates as Tamers or wranglers in English, the team has certainly tamed some of the WSB s most ferocious teams this season, including winning nine matches out of ten in the Group of Death during the Regular Season, and earning eight whitewash 5-0 victories this season. After such a dominant debut season, and with countless Champion boxers, the question is: Can anyone stop the Cuban locomotive?
Magomed IBIYEV (AZE) Yosbany VEITIA (CUB) Light Flyweight (49 kg) - WSB Record: 1-1 (1 WP) Light Flyweight (49 kg) - WSB Record: 7-0 (7 WP) Won a bronze medal in the 2013 Russian U22 National Championships, and Azerbaijan Baku Fires invited him to their WSB team for Season IV. The 22-year-old southpaw boxer is undefeated in WSB this season, rarely encountering any difficulty in the boxing ring. Magomed GURBANOV (AZE) Norlan YERA (CUB) Gurbanov is a Champion of the 2008 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico. Yera claimed a silver medal at the 2010 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships which was held in Baku. Gaybatulla GADZHIALIYEV (AZE) Yasnier TOLEDO LOPEZ (CUB) The 23-year-old boxer gave Cuba Domadores Yasnier Toledo his only WSB defeat in the Regular Season of Season IV. At the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships the Cuban achieved a bronze medal in Baku, which will give him fond memories going into the Finals. Khaybula MUSALOV (AZE) Arlen LOPEZ (CUB) The 23-year-old boxer made his debut in Season II of WSB, and since then he has been a key member of Azerbaijan Baku Fires. Lopez was involved in the Cuban national squad for the very first time in the 2009 AIBA Junior World Championships where he won the gold medal. Abdulkadir ABDULLAYEV (AZE) Erislandy SAVON (CUB) Abdulkadir Abdullayev is a tough boxer who has got a lot of experience in WSB, with his style a particular asset in this tournament. Erislandy is nephew of Cuba s national boxing legend, three-time Olympic Champion Félix Savon, and is undefeated in six WSB bouts this season. Bantamweight (56 kg) - WSB Record: 2-2 (2 WP) Light Welterweight (64 kg) - WSB Record: 5-1 (5 WP) Middleweight (75 kg) - WSB Record: 10-3 (8 WP / 2 TKO) Heavyweight (91 kg) - WSB Record: 9-3 (4 WP / 3 TKO / 2 KO) Bantamweight (56 kg) - WSB Record: 0-1 Light Welterweight (64 kg) - WSB Record: 5-1 (5 WP) Middleweight (75 kg) - WSB Record: 0-1 Heavyweight (91 kg) - WSB Record: 6-0 (3 WP / 2 TKO / 1 KO)
Elvin MAMISHZADA (AZE) Gerardo CERVANTES (CUB) Flyweight (52 kg) - WSB Record: 4-1 (4 WP) Flyweight (52 kg) - WSB Record: 2-2 (2 WP) Mamishzada won a silver medal at the 2010 European Championships in Moscow, and has impressed in major events since then. The 21-year-old boxer put himself into the spotlight when he won two gold medals at the Roberto Balado Cup, and at the Giraldo Cordova Cardin Memorial Tournament in Havana last June. Albert SELIMOV (AZE) Lazaro ALVAREZ (CUB) The 28-year-old star was the only boxer who managed to beat Ukraine s superstar Vasyl Lomachenko in the final of the 2007 AIBA World Boxing Championships. Alvarez has won all of his six bouts this season in WSB, and is a two-time AIBA World Champion. Mahamed NURUDZINAU (AZE) Roniel Iglesias SOTOLONGO (CUB) His major achievement was a gold medal at the 2008 European Championships in Liverpool, and the Beijing 2008 Olympian has fought in all of the four seasons of WSB. Iglesias is a virtuoso boxer, and his incredible success in several weight classes have resulted for him gold medals at the 2009 AIBA World Boxing Championships and at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Mikhail DAUHALIAVETS (BLR) Julio Cesar DE LA CRUZ (CUB) The London 2012 Olympian is one of the most inexperienced members of Azerbaijan Baku Fires, but he could be a dark horse on Finals Weekend, as his powerful punches could stop top opponents. The current team captain of the Cuban national squad won the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships in Baku, and defended his title in Almaty last October. Arslanbek MAKHMUDOV (AZE) José Angel LARDUET (CUB) The 24-year-old fought for the Russian franchise in Season I and Season II, and he joined Azerbaijan Baku Fires last October. His major achievement is a bronze medal from the 2009 AIBA World Boxing Championships which was held in Milan. Lightweight (60 kg) - WSB Record: 7-2 (6 WP / 1 TKO) Welterweight (69 kg) - WSB Record: 7-4 (5 WP / 2 TKO) Light Heavyweight (81 kg) - WSB Record: 0-2 Super Heavyweight (+91 kg) - WSB Record: 6-3 (2 WP/2 TKO/2KO) Lightweight (60 kg) - WSB Record: 6-0 (5 WP / 1TKO) Welterweight (69 kg) - WSB Record: 4-0 (2 WP / 1 TKO / 1KO) Light Heavyweight (81 kg) - WSB Record: 4-1 (3 WP / 1 TKO) Super Heavyweight (+91 kg) - WSB Record: 2-1 (2 WP) In the event of a draw on aggregate after ten bouts, the Champion will be decided by a Welterweight (69kg) tiebreaker between Azerbaijan Baku Fires Yauheni Ramashkevich and Cuba Domadores Arisnoydis Despaigne.