#WSBV – Day 2Algeria Desert Hawks open their WSB Season against Cuba Domadores
23 January 2015
Algeria Desert Hawks Logo
The Defending World Series of Boxing (WSB) Champions Cuba Domadores enjoyed a successful start to the competition in week one when they whitewashed Morocco Atlas Lions 5-0, and this time they travel to Africa to face Algeria Desert Hawks.
This will be the first appearance of the season for the Hawks after their first week match with Russian Boxing Team was postponed due to bad weather, and they will be itching to make an immediate impression on the tournament.
Hocine Chalane, Blida hosts the action for this Group A match, and on Saturday 24th January, fans across the world can watch the action free, live and on demand from 18:00 at AIBABoxingTV.com.
The Flyweights (52 kg) are in action first, and Abdelhakim El Barka has a tough task against Cuba’s Yosbany Veitia who won all eight of his WSB matches last season.
A Lightweight (60 kg) battle follows that, and it doesn’t get any easier for Algeria with two-time AIBA World Champion, Olympic bronze medalist and 6-1 WSB record holder Lazaro Alvarez facing Algeria’s Reda Benbaziz who will look to rely on his past WSB experience.
Algerian Welterweight (69 kg) Sofiane Tabi then looks to showcase his skills in front of his home fans against Cuban gold medal specialist Roniel Iglesias Sotolongo who went 5-0 in his debut WSB season.
Light heavyweight (81 kg) sees Julio Cesar De La Cruz putting his 5-1 WSB record on the line when he faces two-time Olympian and 2007 All-Africa Games gold medalist Nabil Kassel.
The last fight of the evening at Super heavyweight (91+ kg) could be Algeria’s best chance of a win, as they have Hamza Beguerni in action, who memorably knocked out England’s Joseph Joyce in the 2013 AIBA World Championships.
His opponent, Lenier Eunice Pero won the gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games, but the Cuban will have to be wary of the power from his African opponent.