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By WSB

Tuesday, 19 June 2012 – Switzerland, Lausanne

It was another outstanding season for the Ukrainian winning machine from the Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder, Sergiy Derevyanchenko. The 27-year-old extended his unbeaten run to thirteen fights over his two campaigns in the WSB, culminating in winning the Team Trophy with his Italian team before a month later, taking to the ring for seven rounds to be crowned a World Champion once again. We have used so many superlatives to described this most accomplished of boxers, near faultless technique, mixed with a tactical brain, quality footwork to go with his some precision shot making, he just has it all.

He told us that he was already looking forward to another season in the WSB where he will look to defend both his team’s trophy and his own status as the number fighter in his division. His bout in the WSB Individual Championships at the ExCeL London on 9 June 2012 against the rising star from Azerbaijan Heybulla Mursalov really caught the imagination of the vast number of fans who bore witness to it. A hugely entertaining encounter saw Derevyanchenko dominate six of the seven rounds despite being knocked down in the second. He is a truly remarkable athlete.

This photo taken by Karim de la Plaine shows the excellent choice of punches by the Ukrainian orthodox fighter, always finding the right moment to unleash, this left catching Mursalov flush in the jaw.

To see the high resolution photo on our Flickr account, please click HERE.

Photo Credit: WSB (Derevyanchenko catches Mursalov with a left hook)

Copyright © World Series of Boxing 2012http://www.worldseriesboxing.com

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By WSB – 03-05-2012

The pinnacle of the World Series of Boxing season saw Dynamo Moscow and Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder battling it out in a packed ExCeL arena in London for the Team Final.  Huge crowds had gathered in anticipation for the competition’s debut on British soil as boxing fans came out in force to witness the best of Olympic fighters taking to the ring for five sensational bouts.

Bantamweights Vincenzo Picardi and Vladimir Nikitin kicked-off the action in spectacular style, with the crowd firmly behind them, the two diminutive fighters started off all guns blazing in the first round. 27-year-old Italian Picardi had the better of the opening exchanges as he connected with several classy combinations. It was more of the same in the second as the experienced Picardi pierced Nikitin’s defences with some precise hooks. The Russian orthodox was then cut after his rival caught him with a thunderous uppercut but this seemed to spur Nikitin, who then threw some hard rights to push back his opponent as he took the third.

Nikitin continued on the offensive in the fourth round but in the fifth this suited the Italian who was leaning back, defences tight, soaking up the pressure, waiting for the Dynamo man to open before picking his shots. There was a chorus of ‘Vincenzo, Vincenzo’ from the vast number of Milano fans to which Picardi responded to by unleashing some powerful hooks. It was a quality fight but there had to be a winner and it was Picardi who prevailed and won by split decision to give Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder the early advantage.

Picardi later declared, “It was a tough fight, Nikitin is a great boxer”, before adding, “With my victories in the WSB this season I will go to the Olympic Games full of confidence”.

Adlan Abdurashidov, this season’s top ranked Lightweight then made his entrance as he faced the emerging talent from Serbia, Branimir Stankovic. Dynamo Moscow’s Abdurashidov has such high intensity when he steps into the ring and after five wins this campaign and a place at the WSB Individual Championships confirmed, the young 22-year-old Russian was brimming with confidence here. This showed as he taunted his opponent in the early exchanges. Although the Milano Thunder orthodox fighter might lack the experience at this level, the word from the Italian camp is that the 21-year-old Stankovic is quite a prospect and he demonstrated why he is rated so highly with an accomplished display.

Defying the odds, Stankovic fancy footwork did the damage in the first two rounds, moving with grace and throwing devastating combinations as he completely unsettled Abdurashidov. He took the third in similar style throwing some hard hooks that hit the target as the Russian struggled to contain him. The Dynamo star was running out of ideas, unable to pin the fleet-footed Stankovic down. The young Serb from Milano had by now taking the first four rounds and with the fifth just a formality he registered an emphatic victory that saw the Italian outfit move to 2-0 up in the tie.

Abdurashidov was keen to stress post-match, “With me arriving late in London, my preparations were not the best and I did not feel at 100%, but I will come back much stronger for the Individual Championships in June”.

With Dynamo Moscow now trailing, Maxim Gazizov was given the unenviable task of beating Middleweight supreme king Sergiy Derevyanchenko, who had not lost in his two seasons in the WSB. The first round was a tentative one by both orthodox fighters as they tried to get the measure of each other. As Moscow’s Gazizov tried to apply the pressure in the second, after edging the first, but he was then caught but some solid punches. You could understand why going on the offensive was such a dangerous tactic with Derevyanchenko such an accomplished counter-puncher. Gazizov was ahead on the judges’ scorecards after three rounds following his positive display. The Ukrainian 26-year-old, reigning WSB Individual Champion in his weight category, undefeated in eleven fights, then started to slowly pick his rival apart with some telling shots to both the head and the body. The master technician stayed composed as he dominated the latter stages to take the win, giving Milano the overall victory and ensuring his team mates would hold the Team Champions Trophy aloft at the end of the evening.

Derevyanchenko was delighted with victory, “I am very happy to achieve such a win for my team, it was tough against Gazizov but I boxed well and now we are Champions”.

The growing credentials of Oleksandr Gvozdyk of Dynamo Moscow were once again in evidence as the Ukrainian got the better of the experience Hungarian Imre Szello in the opening exchanges. Szello was in the mood for this one, safe in the knowledge that his team has the title sewn up, but in Gvozdyk he faced one of the competition’s rising stars. The Light Heavyweight Moscow star was in exhilarating form, alternating between head and body shots as he quickly took the initiative. Szello tried to keep his opponent at bay with the jab but Gvozdyk seemed hungry to impress and record a win for his team. Vital points were scored by the 190cm tall 25-year-old as he took the win in style to reduce Dynamo Moscow’s deficit.

The Ukrainian sensation, when asked how WSB impacted on his Olympic preparations, said, “Five rounds is hard but it gets you in much better shape so I will go to London with high hopes following my season in the WSB”.

After his fighting talk at the weigh-in, Dynamo Moscow’s Vitaly Kudukhov was intent on inflicting a first career defeat on reigning Heavyweight Individual Champion Clemente Russo. The Russian started off furiously, getting as close to Russo as possible, throwing all kind of punches in the direction of the Italian. It was far from easy on the eye as Kudukhov was intent on not letting the tactician find his range. The aggressiveness saw both boxers penalised in the first as Russo just could not get to grips with the 25-year-old Russian who took the first two rounds. The Milano orthodox fighter then had to dig deep and spurred on by his corner and the crowd, he started to catch his rival with several body shots as he dragged himself back into the contest. With Kudukhov tiring from his early onslaught, Russo did just enough to edge in the closing stages to win by split decision. It was sheer delight from the Italian when the announcer declared him the winner as he celebrated wildly with corner, with the title in the bag and his undefeated record intact.

Russo, the Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder captain, then lifted the trophy with his team, bringing to a close a fantastic season that saw the Italian squad become WSB Team Champions for the very first time.

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Irish Boxing News

By Bernard O’Neill

London 2012 Olympian John Joe Nevin came from behind to beat Branimir Stankovic on a split decision to help the Parisians beat Willie McLaughlin’s Milano Thunder 3-2 in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) in Paris last night.

Cavan BC ace Nevin was trailing on points after the second round against the Serb in United’s first leg quarter final clash with Thunder.

But the Irish Elite champion, who has qualified for the Olympics at bantamweight but who is boxing in the WSB at lightweight, edged ahead after claiming rounds three and four.

Stankovic won the fifth and final frame, but that wasn’t enough to stop Nevin, who has now won three on-the-trot for United this season,  securing a (47-48,48-47,48-47) points win at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin.

Donegal’s Willie McLaughlin, lining out for Thunder in last night’s match, stopped Joe Mulema of the Cameroon to record his fourth straight win in the WSB this season.

McLaughlin ran away with the first three rounds before the middleweight duel was stopped on a 4th frame TKO after Mulema suffered a facial cut.

The Illies GG clubman was the only boxer on the Italian side to record a win last night as their only other victory came via a walkover.

Both sides will meet again in Milan on March 9th. The quarter-final is being decided over ten bouts.

Thunder will need to win the March 9 match 4-1 or 5-0 to advance to the semi-finals. A 3-2 victory will leave both sides locked on five wins each.

Any sort of a victory will be enough for United, who claimed the inaugural WSB Team Championships last year, to progress to the last-four.

Source IABA

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By WSB

Tuesday, 06 March 2012 – Switzerland, Lausanne

In the much anticipated showdown between last year’s champions Paris United and the classy Italian outfit Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder, there were some riveting encounters between two of the most exiting teams in this season’s WSB competition. It was a real nail-biter right until the very end but once again home advantage made the difference in this one.

After failing to make weight, Geoffrey Dos Santos was unable to present himself for the Bantamweight contest, giving Milano the walk-over and the early advantage in the tie. Irish record breaker John Joe Nevin quickly restored parity with a hard fought victory in the Lightweight battle after dominating 21-year-old Serbian National champion Branimir Stankovic. Nevin has been in fine form this season, extending his unbeaten record to three wins no losses, but this triumph did not come easy with Stankovic mounting a strong fight back. Though in the end it was too little too late as the Irish 2009 AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist took the fight by split decision.

Milan were back in front in the match after their Irish Middleweight William McLaughlin cut Cameroonian 29-year-old Joseph Maluma in their contest and was awarded the win by TKO. It was a quality performance that had him ahead on all three judges’ scorecards. McLaughlin is really making a name for himself this season with his fourth win of an excellent campaign for him.

Frenchman Ludovic Groguhé, who was transferred during the summer from Paris to Milan and is one of the stars of the WSB, has somehow lost him way of late and had looked out of sorts following two successive defeats. His battle against Hrvoje Sep was an opportunity to set the record straight and make him a hero with his new team. However the Croatian Light Heavyweight had other ideas, starting this fight with real intent. Groguhé began brightly, dictating the tempo of the bout from the centre of the ring but Sep, with the raucous support of the crowd, somehow turned the fight on its head in the latter stages to snatch a deserved win and drag Paris level at 2-2.

All to fight for as once more the Heavyweight face-off doubled up as the decider. Step into the ring the giant Filip Hrgovic against Polish rising star Michal Olas. At 19 years of age and measuring 198cm, Hrgovic is an imposing figure and with his experience it was a tough ask for the orthodox Pole. Clearly lifted by his compatriot’s win in the Light Heavyweight contest, Hrgovic looked hungry and in no mood to take prisoners as he completely overawed Olas from the first bell. With his opponent in real trouble in the early stages, Hrgovic stamped his authority to win by TKO in the second round, thus handing the 3:2 win to Paris United on the night.

Once again this action did not disappoint and it will be on a knife-edge for in the return leg in Italy.

Keep up to date with the latest news and headlines on our website

Source: WSB

www.worldseriesboxing.com

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By WSB

What a Friday night it was in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) as Dynamo Moscow completely overwhelmed the visiting Astana Arlans to leapfrog them in the table. Mexico City Guerreros turned on the style with a resounding win against the Istanbul Bosphorus. Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder power past Bangkok Elephants and Baku Fires sensationally beat the Leipzig Leopards to make it nine wins in nine so far this season.

Match of the week
Baku Fires proved once again they mean business this season, with a display of real quality that showcased the strength in depth of their squad. Travelling to Germany to face a strong Leipzig Leopards in Group B, the Azeri outfit were rampant from the off. Magomed Abdulhamidov worked tirelessly against two-time Nordic Champion Dennis Ceylan to take the points win in the Bantamweight fight before 27-year-old Semen Grivachev proved totally dominant against the promising Artur Bril. Belarusian Mikalai Vesialou then gave the Baku Fires an insurmountable 3-0 lead in the tie with a display full of panache against German Middleweight Stefan Härtel. Kevin Künzel restored some pride for the Leipzig Leopards and gave the packed crowds at the Maritim Hotel in Haale something to cheer about as he outboxed Vatan Huseyni to win the Light Heavyweight contest. Haji Murtuzaliyev made it a convincing night for the visitors as he emphatically TKO’d Philip Grüner in the second round to give the Baku Fires an impressive 4:1 win and remain undefeated this season.

Thrashing of the week
Istanbul Bosphorus saw their chances of advancing to the quarter-finals take a huge blow after being on the receiving end of a boxing lesson at home to the Mexico City Guerreros. No one could have predicted such a scoreline but the visitors were simply irresistible on the night. 20-year-old orthodox Mexican Elias Emigdia moved up to second in the Bantamweight Individual rankings with a classy points victory over Turkey’s Abdullah Dursun before a Juan Romero TKO in the Lightweight contest gave the Guerreros a 2-0 lead. Dmytro Mytrofanov quickly wrapped up the match for the Mexican outfit with a second round TKO after flooring his opponent with a vicious right hook to the face. Stylish Kennedy Katende was made to work hard for his victory but the Swedish southpaw found what was needed to win against Caner Sayak. It was a great night for the Mexico City Guerreros, who triumphed 5:0 to move up to second in Group B.

Fight of the week
Dynamo Moscow’s 27-year-old Vazgen Safaryants is really making a name for himself in this competition. The Belarusian southpaw came through his toughest test so far with an enhanced reputation, as he outpointed last season’s top ranked Lightweight Yerzhan Mussafirov. Constantly hounding down his opponent, the hard-hitting Safaryants’ aggressiveness paid dividends against the fleet-footed Mussafirov. This was a fight of the highest calibre between two fighters of real pedigree. Going toe-to-toe throughout the five rounds, this was a real boxing spectacle.

The teams now have only two matches left to decide their final league positions. Crucial time for the boxers too as they run out of opportunities to get those valuable points that will help them make the Individual Finals. High-intensity fights guaranteed.

Starting off, we have the clash of the Eastern titans as Dynamo Moscow hosts the Astana Arlans in the Russian capital before a strong Leipzig Leopards face the undefeated Baku Fires. Istanbul Bosphorus will look to assert their authority against the confident Mexico City Guerreros and the Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder team welcome the Bangkok Elephants in Italy as the quarter-finals loom large.

LIVE scoring as well as comprehensive coverage on the website and all social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, with photos on Flickr).

LIVE scores on www.worldseriesboxing.com

Photo Galleries on www.flickr.com/photos/worldseriesboxing/

Dynamo Moscow 5:0 Astana Arlans

Istanbul Bosphorus 0:5 Mexico City Guerreros

Leipzig Leopards 1:4 Baku Fires

Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder 5:0 Bangkok Elephants

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