WSB Team FinalS Evening Program 10TH MAY, FRIDAY 20.00 Show starts 20.10 Ukraine Otamans and Astana Arlans Kazakhstan Team Presentations 20.20 Season 2012-2013 WSB Awards 20.30 Entertainment Program, Erbolat Kudaybergenov 20.45 Match starts 11TH MAY, SATURDAY 20.00 Show starts 20.10 Ukraine Otamans and Astana Arlans Kazakhstan Team Presentations 20.15 Entertainment Program Daus International band Ulytau band 20.30 Match starts
PRESIDENT S MESSAGE Dear Boxing Fans, It is my great pleasure to welcome you all to Astana for the 2013 World Series of Boxing (WSB) Team Finals between the Ukraine Otamans and Astana Arlans Kazakhstan. Not surprisingly, given the exceptional depth of talent in their respective squads, both these teams have produced some memorable performances throughout this third WSB season. With a number of the world s leading boxers on display across the two evenings, this year s Team Finals looks set to be our best yet, as the WSB continues to mature into one of the most exciting sports formats in the world. We are proud to be leading such an incredible innovation in boxing. The opportunity to watch world s top boxers in a revolutionary pro-style team format has already delighted fans worldwide and long may it continue to do so. Given Kazakstan s well documented love of boxing we are also thrilled to be bringing this event to Astana for the first time in history. I truly hope you enjoy the show and I look forward to seeing you all again soon for the WSB Season IV, where we will be welcoming new Franchises - including legendary Cuba - to the series. Yours boxing, Ching-Kuo Wu AIBA President and WSB Board Chairman
WELCOME MESSAGE MR. SHUKEYEV U.Y. Chief Executive of Samruk-Kazyna JSC I am particularly honored to welcome the World Series of Boxing Season III Team Finals participants. Not just because Samruk-Kazyna JSC is the Main Sponsor of today s event, but rather because I am bursting with the pride for our country! For the first time Kazakhstan welcomes such a high calibre competition to our unique sports facility - Saryarka cycling ground. Hosting the Final in our country is the indicator of the increasingly visible presence of Kazakhstan in the international sporting landscape. The event will mark the debut of the Presidential Professional Sports Club Astana. As you know, the Club was established this year under the patronage of the Head of State N.A. Nazarbayev. It is noteworthy that it is headed by the Olympic champion, a legend of Kazakhstan and world boxing Bakhtiyar Artayev. Supporting national sports is a special work stream for Samruk-Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund. With the support of the Head of State, the Fund has created the favorable conditions necessary to achieve high results. A solid foundation for reaching new heights has been laid. Funding sport is not just about social responsibility. It is about the principle of investing in the future of the country and the health and competitiveness of the next generations of Kazakhstan. On behalf of Main Sponsor Samruk-Kazyna JSC, I wish all the participants and guests of the WSB Team Finals the best of luck!
ABOUT WSB World Series of Boxing is a ground breaking, one of a kind, the first truly global boxing league that brings together Franchise teams from around the world to compete in five weight categories: Bantam (54kg), Light (61kg), Middle (73kg), Light Heavy (85kg), Heavy (91+kg). Developed by AIBA, the International Boxing Association, WSB is a unique concept in the world of boxing. It is the only pro-style team competition where boxers retain their Olympic eligibility. It brings together the best boxers in an explosive format with worldwide appeal. Endorsed by nearly 200 National Federations, it represents the future of boxing. It reunites the broader boxing community and connects the sport to its grassroots foundation, as well as helping it reclaim its noble position across the world. WSB promotes a transparent scoring system and brings with it much a needed world-leading governance and commercial guidance to international boxing. WSB marked a new era in the sport of boxing when it launched its first season on 19 November 2010. In its inaugural year, the WSB competition had 12 teams spanning the globe in three continental conferences: the Americas, Asia and Europe. 219 boxers from 49 countries competed, and amongst those were 18 Olympic and World medallists. For the second season, the 12 teams were split into two World Groups to further enhance the global appeal of the league. For the first time the world s top boxers could enjoy training in a team, regular competition against world-class opponents and had the opportunity of earning a regular salary along with a performance based bonus system. Paris United became the first WSB Champions while the five winners at the first WSB Individual Championships were awarded direct qualification to the London 2012 Olympic Games along with their championship belts. The season two champions meanwhile were Dolce & Gabbana Italia Thunder but the balance of power in the WSB has shifted East this year. Thus, after a six months of hard fought competition, featuring 12 teams and 370 high octane bouts, the 2012-2013 WSB Team Finals will feature this season s strongest teams: the Ukraine Otamans and Astana Arlans Kazakhstan. The event will be staged in the latter s hometown, Astana, Kazakhstan. The Winner will be crowned 2013 WSB Champion.
COMPETITION FORMAT Pro style competition Professional 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. WEIGHT CATEGORIES BANTAM (50-54 KG) LIGHT (57-61 KG) MIDDLE (68-73 KG) LIGHT HEAVY (80-85 KG) HEAVY (91+ KG) SEASON 2012-2013 GROUP A GREAT BRITAIN RUSSIA POLAND GERMANY ITALY USA KAZAKHSTAN UKRAINE ALGERIA MEXICO ARGENTINA GROUP B AZERBAIJAN
REGULAR SEASON GROUP A GROUP B RANK TEAM PTS 1 Azerbaijan Baku Fires 27 2 Mexico Guerreros 19 3 Hussars Poland 13 4 Argentina Condors 5 Russia Boxing Team 6 Algeria Desert Hawks RANK TEAM PTS 1 Astana Arlans Kazakhstan 24 2 Dolce & Gabbana Italia Thunder 22 3 British Lionhearts 16 12 4 Ukraine Otamans 14 12 5 German Eagles 9 9 6 USA Knockouts 4 PLAY-OFFS 2:8 (1:4) 4:6 (4:1) 4:6 (4:1) 6:4 (5:0) 2:8 (2:3) WSB CHAMPION 3:7 (3:2) TEAM FINALS = 2 MATCHES = 10 FIGHTS (1 fight per weight category) 1 FIGHT = 5 ROUNDS x 3 minutes each TIEBREAKER BANTAMWEIGHT (50-54 KG) WSB FAST FACTS Total number of boxers 283 Total number of pro boxers - 18 Total number of countries represented - 41 Total number of Olympic and World Championships medallists 13 Total number of London Olympians - 43 Average number of boxers per team - 23 Average number of boxers per weight category - 4 Youngest boxer - Mamadli Rahil (Azerbaijan Baku Fires), 18 years old Oldest boxer Kamel Rahmani (Algeria Desert Hawks), 34 years old Average age 24 19 broadcasters in total covering 98 countries 16,500 fans on WSB Facebook
UKRAINE OTAMANS The Ukrainian WSB Franchise had a slow start to the season choosing instead to blood their younger and less experienced fighters in the opening matches of the Regular Season. With an official line-up that includes some of the biggest names in boxing, (such as the likes of double Olympic and AIBA World Champion Vasyl Lomachenko), the team s opening results were a surprise to many. Beginning their campaign with a 3-2 loss to fellow finalists Astana Arlans Kazakhstan, the Otamans got the same result again against the German Eagles. A 4-1 loss to defending champions Dolce & Gabbana Italia Thunder followed and it wasn t until they took on the star studded British Lionhearts that the Ukrainians began to really cook. That night Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk were finally let off their leashes and the Olympic Champions left an impressive trail of destruction in their wake. But the pair was again taken out of the starting line-up as the Otamans lost the second of their two encounters with the Arlans (4-1). Ukraine had certainly left it late in the competition to begin to show their true potential, but with a 5-0 redemptive win over the German Eagles they achieved just that. Italia Thunder was the next to feel the full force of Ukraine s capacity as they were on the wrong end of a 4-1 drubbing by the Otamans. Finally, by squeezing out a 3-2 victory away to crack the perfect home record of the British Lionhearts, the Ukraine made it through to the play-offs. This is where the stats get interesting: while fighting at home in both the quarter and semi-finals, the Otamans were utterly dominant, getting a clean sweep over both the Azerbaijan Baku Fires and Italia Thunder (5-0). When competing away from home however, they lost to both teams 4-1. Only Lomachenko (vs. Azerbaijan) and Usyk (vs. Italy) were able to notch up wins. Given that the WSB Team Finals will be held in Kazakhstan, what does this tell us about Ukraine s chances of winning this season? Otamans fans will be quick to point out that with the unbeaten trio of Lomachenko, Usyk and Oleksandr Gvozdyk all expected to feature, the team can expect a significant boost to both its competitiveness and its moral. Moreover, perhaps the strategy of giving less well known fighters match-time early on in the season will pay off. Certainly it will have boosted their experience sufficiently to cause Kazakhstan problems elsewhere. Whatever the result however, the Ukrainian outfit has been the surprise team of the season, and with so much of their investment being placed in their indigenous boxing talent, the future looks bright for Ukraine in WSB.
STAR BOXERS Vasyl LOMACHENKO The Otamans leading fighter has been on form again this season. As a two time Olympic gold medallist (Beijing 2008 and London 2012) and two time AIBA World Champion (2009 & 2011), Lomachenko s transition to WSB has been seamless. He is currently ranked the number one Lightweight in WSB with five wins from five fights. The aggressive southpaw fighter likes to close the gap on his opponents before making ample use of his powerful body shots and uppercuts. Watch out for his skilful ability to bob and weave to the outside of his opponent s jabs and crosses before delivering his punishing blows. He will be the man to beat. Oleksandr USYK The WSB s number one Heavyweight, Usyk is yet another Ukrainian southpaw who likes to brawl. The London 2012 gold medallist and 2011 AIBA World Champion has five wins out of five in WSB, collecting 750 points in the process. Instantly recognisable for his haircut and lean profile, Oleksandr is a fan favourite for his aggression and willingness to mix it up. Seemingly un-phased even when under sever bombardment, Usyk is often guilty of smiling at opponents during exchanges, as he engages in own brand of risky, but highly entertaining psychological warfare tactics. He does most of his damage on the outside through the use of jabs, crosses and overhand shots. Oleksandr GVOZDYK The London 2012 Olympic Bronze medallist has had another good season. Currently ranked 6th in the WSB Light Heavyweight category, Gvozdyk has four wins from four bouts this year, taking him to 8-0 in WSB across two seasons. A disciplined fighter Oleksandr gives the impression that he always has a game plan. He fights with in a controlled and systematic style but having knocked out Vladimir Cheles (Azerbaijan Baku Fires) in the quarter-finals, he has demonstrated that he also has the power to end a fight suddenly. If he can keep his work rate at the level we saw in that match, he will be a force to reckon with.
ASTANA ARLANS KAZAKHSTAN Fittingly perhaps for a team named after the wolf alpha male, the Arlans have certainly been the leaders of this year s WSB pack. Kazakhstan have been the WSB s nearly men for the last two seasons. As runners-up in the inaugural season and semi-finalists in Season II, the Kazakhs took this year s campaign very seriously indeed. A major statement of intent was made during the off-season as the Arlans brought in two time WSB Middleweight (68-73kg) Champion Sergiy Derevyanchenko from Dolce & Gabbana Italia Thunder and Filip Hrgovic from Paris United, WSB Team Champion 2011. The team, with boxers from nine different countries is now one of the largest and most international in WSB. The breadth of experience shows. Kazakhstan made it through to the group stage with only a single defeat in the Regular Season, (away against defending champions Italia Thunder). The run of victories included notable 5-0 wins over the USA Knockouts and the British Lionhearts and a 4-1 away victory over the German Eagles was also praiseworthy. Most importantly however, they notched up two wins over their opponents in this year s final: the Ukraine Otamans. Whilst the Otamans will claim that their best boxers were not available for those matches, the psychological advantage must now lie with Kazakhstan. The Arlans showed great home form in their play-off matches as well, taking both the Argentina Condors and Mexico Guerreros 5-0. Given that this year s Team Finals will be fought in Astana, that solid home form must also tip the odds in favour of the local side. This is especially true when you combine the Arlans home winning streak, with the Otamans poor away form, (the Ukrainian team have lost five out of six away matches this year). A further factor in this year s showdown could be the fact that the Arlans coach Sergiy Korchynsky is a former coach of the Ukrainian Olympic Team. This is not at all insignificant. As the Chinese philosopher and military strategist Sun Tsu said in his epic treatise The Art of War, If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. Nothing could be closer to the truth in this encounter. The Arlans coach finds himself in the enviable position of having a tremendous insight into the skills and limitations of his opponent s boxers. This should give him a tactical advantage in the planning phases and it should also enable him to corner his boxers very efficiently during the bouts themselves. As we all know however, anything can happen in boxing, so we will need to wait and see if the Astana Arlans Kazakhstan are able to make it third time lucky on home soil.
STAR BOXERS Samat BASHENOV With five wins out of five this season, WSB s number two ranked Lightweight goes into the finals only 11 points behind the Ukrainian icon Lomachenko. The 25 year old has improved massively in this season s rankings having finished 15th last year, but Bashenov, the 2011 Kazakh national bronze medalist will have a fight on his hands if drawn against the more experienced Ukrainian. He will need to use all his poise, skillful footwork and silky evasion skills if he is to cause an upset, but his record is encouraging. Sergiy DEREVYANCHENKO The experienced 27 year old Ukrainian will be facing his own countrymen in yet another twist on an extremely interesting final night. Sergiy, who has competed at elite international level since his 2007 World Championships bronze medal, is on his 3rd successive season in WSB. Having been part of the season two winning team Dolce & Gabbana Italia Thunder, he has fought successfully in a WSB final before. Moreover, as the number one ranked Middleweight for seasons one and two Derevyanchenko will be looking to extend his astonishing WSB record of 17-1 and compensate for his surprise loss against the young Argentinian Brian Castaño which has seen him slip to 5th in this season s rankings. Ruslan MYRSATAYEV The number four ranked WSB Heavyweight fighter is undefeated this season with four fights under his belt. He has been progressively easing up the standings year on year, finishing 6th in season one and 5th in season two which shows that Myrsatayev is a boxer who is consistently improving. Ruslan is an orthodox fighter who makes good use of his head movement when in the ring and is dangerous on the inside as we saw in his Week 10 TKO victory over Eric Brechlin of the German Eagles. Should he be drawn against the explosive southpaw Usyk in the final it will likely be a fascinating contrast of styles to watch.
CITY OF ASTANA Astana is the capital city of Kazakhstan and is a fast-growing administrative and business centre. Situated in the north of Central Kazakhstan, in the Akmolinskaya Oblast, Astana is located in the geographic centre of Eurasia. The city spans over 710.2 square km (compared with just 258 square km in 1997). People from over 100 ethnicities reside in Astana and these days the population stands at over 800, 000. A popular area is the Astana left-bank, which is unique in every way: its location, architectural concept and its success as the governmental administrative centre. The residence of the President Akorda, is located in the area along with Senate buildings of the Supreme Court and Ministries and the National Library and Archive Centre. Another popular attraction is the Astrana-Baytreek Monument. Bayterek in the Kazakh language means Poplar. The 97 metre high tree of life is made of metal, glass and concrete and is a unique construction standing 105 metre high weighing over 1,000 tons. The sphere symbolises the chronicle of Kazakhstan s recent history. Inside the crown of the Poplar there is the Ayaly-Alakan the handprint of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, the town s Central Square is widely viewed as the most significant place in Astana and the heart of the city s social life. It has witnessed many historic events. The original city fountains remain the most visited attraction in the city, with the figures of a girl and a boy depicted to symbolize the country s future alongside bronze sculptures of a wolf and leopard, sacred symbols and totem idols of the ancient nomads. The Otan Korgaushylary monument is one of the most well-designed and beautiful monuments in Kazakhstan, with fountains situated along the main passageway. It features figure of a woman in sorrowful silence and an eternal flame. The monument represents the struggle of the Kazakh people against the Jungars, in the Great Patriotic War.
About the Astana Presidential Professional Sports Club, WSB Team Finals Main Sponsor The Astana Presidential Professional Sports Club (PPSC) was created in December 2012 through an initiative started by the Samruk-Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund. This initiative was supported by the President of the Kazakh Republic Mr. Nazarbayev. PPSC has brought together a variety of elite clubs from several sports including cycling, football, basketball, hockey and boxing under a single Astana brand to promote the image of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the international sports world. The integration and coordination all of Kazakhstan s leading sports projects into a single organization has been done with the aim of establishing a national professional super club following the examples of some of the world s biggest sides like Spanish sides Real Madrid and Barcelona, Russian CSKA and others. So far the Club has integrated Astana cycling team, Barys hockey club, Dakar Team Astana, Astana football club, Kazakhstan Polo Federation, Water Polo Astana sports Club, the Astana Arlans professional boxing club, the Kazakhstan Barysy project on the development of the Kazakh Kuresi wrestling, and individuals such as two-time Olympic weightlifting champion Ilya Ilyin and the Figure Skating World Championships silver medallist Denis Ten. Bakhtiyar Artayev, a 2004 Olympic boxing gold medallist heads the new club as President, while the three time karate World Champion Aidar Makhmetov acts as General Manager.
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