#WSBV Day 14 – Russian Boxing Team narrowly secure away win over Morocco Atlas Lions
25 April 2015
World Series Of Boxing 2013/14
Russian Boxing Team finished the World Series of Boxing (WSB) Regular Season with a 3-2 away victory against Morocco Atlas Lions in Casablanca.
The victory assures the Russian Franchise of second place in the Group A table, while Morocco should be proud of their efforts across the entirety of their debut WSB season.
A Lightweight (60 kg) clash began the action where Russia’s 5-1 Adlan Abdurashidov widely outpointed Hamza Rabii.
Despite Rabii’s enthusiasm and effort in the contest, Abdurashidov was the slicker boxer and was more accurate throughout the bout.
Abdurashidov’s win ensured his third place ranking in the Lightweight standings.
Russia then opened up a 2-0 lead on the night after Super heavyweight (91+ kg) 4-1 Maxim Babanin defeated Morocco’s Abouhamada Abdeljalil.
Babanin was the shorter competitor, but set a fast pace constantly and used his jab effectively to set up his fierce uppercuts.
The most significant fight of the evening came at
Flyweight (52 kg) where 5-2 home star Achraf Kharroubi temporarily moved to second in the rankings after beating Russian debutant Karen Arutiunian.
Kharroubi is now three points ahead of Puerto Rico’s Jeyvier Cintrón Ocasio who now needs to win in America on Monday night to earn a Rio 2016 Olympic Games quota through WSB.
A marvelous crowd applauded Kharroubi in the fight knowing that a win was vital, and he did not let them down.
The Moroccan star has every punch in the book, and used them all to great effect against Arutiunian.
Sixth ranked Light heavyweight (81 kg) Pavel Silyagin secured the overall contest for Russia, and his fourth split decision success of the season when he defeated Holland’s Peter Mullenberg.
Silyagin was the better fighter in the early stages of the contest, and though Mullenberg rallied late, the judges preferred the work of the Russian.
Morocco’s 7-0 Mohammed Rabii finished the night off with success for his Franchise, and ended the group stages top of the Welterweight (69 kg) rankings with a win over former AIBA Junior World Champion and European Junior Champion Tamerlan Magomedov.
Rabii had already earned his Rio 2016 Olympic quota from WSB heading into this fight, and his supreme confidence was displayed in the first minute as he fast hands caused Magomedov problems.
An injury to the Russian in the second minute of the contest caused the fight to be called off at that stage, which led to Rabii’s seventh successive win of the season.