#WSBV Day 10 – Who will blow over when Puerto Rico Hurricanes meet Italia Thunder?
20 March 2015
#WSBV Pol Ita
A key World Series of Boxing (WSB) Group B match takes place this weekend, as Puerto Rico Hurricanes host Italia Thunder.
The Puerto Rican Franchise have enjoyed a good start to their WSB career and are fifth in the table, two points behind Italy.
Both of these teams are coming off impressive wins, as the Hurricanes defeated Argentina Condors 4-1 last week, while the Thunder swept away USA Knockouts 5-0.
Coliseíto Pedrín Zorrilla, San Juan is the venue for this Group B clash, where on Saturday 21st March fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 19:00 (GMT -4) at AIBABoxingTV.com.
Jeyvier Cintrón Ocasio is 3-1 this season, and the powerful Puerto Rican is third in the Flyweight (52 kg) rankings.
With just three matches to go in the Regular Season for his weight class, and considering only the top two ranked boxers reach the Rio 2016 Olympic Games via WSB, Ocasio needs to defeat Italian debutant Francesco Barotti to try and catch top ranked Yosbany Veitia and second placed American Brent Venegas III.
Only one point separates Ocasio from Venegas III, and if the Hurricane can replicate the form which saw him stop Eduard Johan Bermúdez Salas earlier in the competition he will make a huge step towards Rio.
Another boxer with Olympic dreams is Italy’s Valentino Manfredonia who is ranked number two at Light heavyweight (81 kg) with the same number of points as the top placed Julio César la Cruz.
The Italian has won all four of his matches this season via decision, so a stoppage win in San Juan against Hurricane debutant Davey Vega would vastly improve his qualification chances especially as Croatia’s Hrvoje Sep is just two points behind and also competes this week.
Guido Vianello is fifth ranked at Super heavyweight (91+ kg) but due to only one WSB Olympic quota for his weight class, he needs nothing less than a stoppage when he meets Puerto Rico’s undefeated Clayton Laurent Jr.
Elsewhere, 3-0 Lightweight (60 kg) Jose Rosario who has won his last two matches via split decision meets 1-0 Italian Donato Cosenza, and 1-3 Puerto Rican Welterweight (69 kg) Nicklaus Flaz fights Irish debutant Adam Nolan who competed at the 2012 Olympic Games.
