The draft is introduced to help the weaker nations and has two rounds where any boxer who does not represent a country competing can be picked?
The World Series of Boxing (WSB) has played a role in transforming Olympic style boxing. The competition for 16 nations sees boxers box it out with a team becoming an overall champion at the end of the year. This will be the same competition but for professional boxers. It will still feature national teams with a few boxers who are not already on teams available to be drafted. Teams will split into four groups and have five bouts on the nights. Weights will be either decided by a draw or if both teams have priority boxers at the same weight.
The 16 teams and five marquee boxers of each team will be: Argentina Condors (Jesus Cuellar, Lucas Matthysse, Omar Navarez, Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo, Victor Emilio Ramirez) Astana Arlans (Gennady Golovkin, Beibut Shumenov, Zhanat Zhakiyanov, Kanat Islam, Bakhitiyar Eyubov) Bangkok Bruisers (Wisaksil Wangek, Wangheng Menayothin, Amnat Ruenroeng, Pungluang Sor Singyu, Tewa Kiram) British Lionhearts (Tyson Fury, Kell Brook, Terry Flanagan, Carl Frampton, James DeGale) Domadores de Cuba (Erislandy Lara, Rances Barth?lemy, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Luis Ortiz, Yuriorkis Gamboa) Filipino Flashes (Manny Pacquaio, Nonito Donaire, Marlon Tapales, Donnie Nietes, John Riel Casemiro) Mexico Guerreros (Saul Alvarez, Leo Santa Cruz, Gilberto Ramirez, Juan Francisco Estrada, Francisco Vargas) Munich Marauders (Juergen Braehmer, Marco Huck, Felix Sturm, Erkan Teper, Jack Culcay) Nicaraguan Nightmares (Roman Gonzalez, Byron Rojas, Roberto Arriaza, Walter Castillo, Eusebio Osejo) Puerto Rico Hurricanes (Miguel Cotto, Jose Pedraza, Thomas Dulorme, Felix Verdejo, McJoe Arroyo) Russian Boxing Team (Sergey Kovalev, Eduard Troyanovsky, Alexander Povetkin, Denis Levedev, David Avanesyan) Tokyo Terrors (Shinsuke Yamanaka, Kazuta Ioka, Naoya Inoue, Takashi Uchiyama, Hozumi Hazegawa) Toronto Tornadoes (Adonis Stevenson, David Lemieux, Kevin Bizier, Dierry Jean, Denton Daley) Ukraine Ottomans (Wladimir Klitschko, Viktor Postol, Oleksamdr Usyk, Vasyl Lomachenko, Sergiy Derevyanchenko) USA Knockouts (Terrence Crawford, Andre Ward, Deontay Wilder, Danny Garcia, Demetrius Andrade) Warsaw Warriors (Krzystof Glowacki, Maciej Sulecki, Andrzej Fonfara, Artur Szpilika, Michal Syrpwatka)
The draft is introduced to help the weaker nations and has two rounds where any boxer who does not represent a country competing can be picked.
Round 1: Nicaragua Nightmares pick Nicholas Walters Astana Arlans pick Jorge Linares Argentina Condors pick Badou Jack Warsaw Warriors pick Dejan Zlatcanin Toronto Tornadoes pick Simpiwe Vetyeka Munich Marauders pick Jezreel Corrales Bangkok Bruisers pick Andy Lee Filipino Flashes pick Eleider Alvarez Russian Boxing Team pick Juan Carlos Payano Tokyo Terrors pick Kubrat Pulev Puerto Rico Hurricanes pick Anselmo Moreno Mexico Guerreros pick Jonathan Guzman Domodores De Cuba pick Mairis Briedis Ukraine Ottomans pick Luis Concepcion British Lionhearts pick Hekkie Budler USA knockouts pick Norberto Jiminez
Round 2: Nicaragua Nightmares pick Joseph Parker Astana Arlans pick Zolani Tate Argentina Condors pick Ismael Barroso Warsaw Warriors pick Javier Fortuna Toronto Tornadoes pick Michel Soro Munich Marauders pick Jose Antonio Jiminez Bangkok Bruisers pick Ovil McKenzie Filipino Flashes pick Tureano Johnson Russian Boxing Team pick Bongani Mahlangu Tokyo Terrors pick Felix Diaz Puerto Rico Hurricanes pick Isaac Chilemba Mexico Guerreros pick Carlos Takam Domodores De Cuba pick Moruti Mthalane Ukraine Ottomans pick Liborio Solis British Lionhearts pick Azael Villar USA knockouts pick Ilunga Makabu
Group A: Warsaw Warriors British Lionhearts Argentina Condors Toronto Tornadoes
Group B: Munich Marauders Bangkok Bruisers Russian Boxing Team USA Knockouts
Group C: Astana Arlans Puerto Rico Hurricanes Domodores de Cuba Nicaragua Nightmares
Group D: Filipino Flashes Ukraine Ottomans Mexico Guerreros Tokyo Terrors
Group A: Warsaw Warriors v British Lionhearts Artur Szpilka v Tyson Fury Kamil Laszczyk v Lee Selby Michal Syrowatka v Ricky Burns Kamil Jaworek v Gavin McDonnell Damian Wrzesinski v Luke Campbell 0-5
Britain make the perfect start to the tournament. The draw allows them to rest some of their superstars as they face some weaker Polish opposition. None of them are particularly trouble while Fury dominates Szpilka in the most notable contest.
Argentina Condors v Toronto Tornadoes Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo v Kevin Bizier Victor Emilio Ramirez v Denton Daley Lucas Matthysse v Steve Claggett Javier Nicholas Chacon v Parnell Fisher Jorge Sebastian Heiland v David Lemieux 3-2
The two marquee bouts see each team take a victory each. Lemieux and Matthysse are both heavily fancied and deliver with stoppages. It all comes down to the super bantamweight fight where Chacon overwhelms the inexperienced Canadian.
Warsaw Warriors v Argentina Condors Kryzstof Glowacki v Victor Emilio Ramirez Michal Syrpwatka v Lucas Matthysse Maciej Sulecki v Jorge Sebastien Heiland Rafal Jackiewicz v Hector Saldivia Kamil Jaworek v Javier Nicholas Chacon 2-3
Three really close bouts and a couple more one sided. Chacon dominates Jaworek while Matthysse is too good for almost anyone at that weight. Glowacki and Sulecki get good stoppage wins but in the decider Salidiva has more left in the tank. Heiland is injured and misses the rest of the tournament
British Lionhearts v Toronto Tornadoes Kell Brook v Kevin Bizier Terry Flanagan v Dierry Jean Anthony Joshua v Dillan Carman Billy Joe Saunders v David Lemiuex Stephen Smith v Javier Fortuna 4-1
Britain take a quick 3-0 lead as the big guns come out to play. The most highly anticipated bout of the night sees Billy Joe edge a decision over Lemieux. Fortuna gets a win over Smith to improve respectability
Argentina Condors v British Lionhearts Jesus Cuellar v Carl Frampton Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo v Kell Brook Omar Navarez v Jamie McDonnell Hector Saldivia v Liam Smith Lucas Matthysse v Ricky Burns 1-4
Another matchup where the bouts are interesting but the British boxers tend to have bit too much for their opposition except for Matthyse who stops Burns.
Toronto Tornadoes v Warsaw Warriors David Lemieux v Maciej Sulecki Denton Daley v Krzystof Glowacki Adonis Stevenson v Andrzej Fonfara Steve Claggett v Michal Syrowatka Kevin Bizier v Rafal Jackiewicz 3-2
A lot of the marquee fighters take part here creating some interesting bouts. Lemieux, Glowacki and Syrowatka all should take pretty convincing wins. The bout of the day is Stevenson v Fonfara which Stevenson wins by decision and Bizier clinched the win also by decision. Maciej Sulejcki is injured and misses the rest of the tournament.
British Lionhearts 13-2 Argentina Condors 7-8 Toronto Tornadoes 6-9 Warsaw Warriors 5-10
Group B: Bangkok Bruisers v Munich Marauders Yutthana Wongda v Arthur Abraham Pungluang Sor Singyu v Manu Venetis Amnat Ruenroeng v Mirco Martin Sayan Sirimongkhon v Felix Lamm Sirimongkol Eaimthuam v Jack Culcay 2-3
Which such divergent weights for the marquee boxers it was always going to be mainly dependant on the draw. Heading into the final bout it was 2-2 after dominant wins for Abraham, Singyu, Ruenroeng and Lamm. Culcay eases his way to a decision in the final against a man beating a debutant last time out. Yutthana Wongda gets injured and misses the rest of the tournament.
USA Knockouts v Russian Boxing Team Andre Ward v Sergey Kovalev Terence Crawford v Eduard Troyanovsky Deontay Wilder v Alexander Povetkin Danny Garcia v David Avanesyan Ilunga Makabu v Denis Lebedev 3-2
Crawford is just too skilled for Troyanovsky while Garcia have a similar gulf to Avanesyan. Lebedev gets tagged by Makabu but comes through the danger to later stop the draftee. Povetkin v Wilder and Ward v Kovalev deserve far more lines that they can get here. Povetkin boxes a masterclass to beat Wilder while Ward spoils his way to a win over Kovalev.
Bangkok Bruisers v USA Knockouts Tewa Kiram v Errol Spence Andy Lee v Danny Jacobs Ovil McKenzie v Ilunga Makabu Sumate Poomglao v Deontay Wilder Pipat Chaiporn v Daniel Roman 1-4
The Bangkok Bruisers are dependent on the draw and it went against them again. Their two overseas boxers are involved in the best bouts. McKenzie gets the win over Makabu in a great bout while Jacobs edged in Lee with a late stoppage.
Munich Marauders v Russian Boxing Team Juergen Brahmer v Sergey Kovalev Marco Huck v Denis Lebedev Erkan Teper v Alexander Povetkin Mirco Martin v Rustam Shamsidinov Rico Mueller v Konstantin Ponomarev 1-4
Some brilliant fights here. Kovalev and Povetkin are comfortable winners for Russia. Lebedev took Huck to a split decision before and this time he edged a win. Martin gets one back for Germany before Ponomarev seals the Russian victory.
Russian Boxing Team v Bangkok Bruisers David Avanesyan v Tewa Kiram Vyacheslav Gusev v Terdsak Kokietgym Bongani Mahlungu v Pipat Chaiporn Arif Magomedov v Andy Lee Eduard Troyanovsky v Sayan Sirimongkhon 3-2
A back and forth contest goes to Russia in the final bout as Eduard Troyanovsky gets a bout to shine. Kokietgym beats Gusev in one of the better bouts. Sayan Sirimongkhon gets injured and misses the rest of the tournament
Munich Marauders v USA Knockouts Juergen Braehmer v Andre Ward Erkan Teper v Deontay Wilder Jack Culcay v Demetrious Andrade Nuhu Lawal v Peter Quillin Rico Mueller v Timothy Bradley 0-5
USA get off to a quick start with Andre Ward boxing beautifully. The momentum just keeps the American team on top and at no point do Germany look like making their way back into the contest
USA Knockouts 12-3 Russia Boxing Team 9-6 Bangkok Bruisers 5-10 Munich Marauders 4-11
Group C: Astana Arlans v Puerto Rico Hurricanes Gennady Golovkin v Miguel Cotto Sagidolla Mukhametkali v Emil Gonzalez Ali Akhmedov v Isaac Chilemba Talgat Dosanov v Victor Bisbal Mirxhan Zhaksylykov v Jose Pedraza 1-4
The Kazakh star Golovkin gets a big win to start the team off but the rest of the way they are beaten by the Hurricanes. Bisbal and Gonzalez get wins in the closer fights.
Nicaragua Nightmares v Domodores de Cuba Eusebio Osejo v Hairon Socarras Nicholas Walters v Luis Franco Santos Benavides v Erislandy Lara Roberto Arriaza v Yordenis Ugas Joseph Parker v Luis Ortiz 3-2
Nicaragua get into an early 2-0 lead with two strong results. Lara is brilliant and pulls one back heading into two great bouts. Arriaza edges Ugas with his potential explosiveness while Ortiz is too polished for Parker at the moment.
Astana Arlans v Nicaragua Nightmares Bakhtiyar Eyubov v Roberto Arriaza Beibut Shumenov v Mercio Figueroa Bekzhan Askanbay v Eusebio Osejo Mirzhan Zhaksylykov v Nicholas Walters Jorge Linares v Oliver Flores 3-2
The first fight turns out to be key. Linares, Shumenov and Walters destroy overmatched opponents while Osejo also has a comfortable victory. Ebuyov has looked very good and has the best win of the two which edges me to him.
Puerto Rico Hurricanes v Domodores de Cuba Miguel Cotto v Erislandy Lara Felix Verdejo v Rances Barth?lemy Jose Pedraza v Yuriorkis Gamboa Thomas Dulorme v Yordan Frometa Anselmo Moreno v Jorge de Jesus Romero 2-3
Lara out boxes Cotto to take an early lead. Barth?lemy avoids the big shots of Verdejo and takes a decision win. Pedraza cannot match the speed and savvy of Gamboa. Dulorme finally gets one back for Puerto Rico before Moreno takes the win.
Domodores De Cuba v Astana Arlans Yordenis Ugas v Bakhityar Ebuyov Jorge De Jesus Romero v Zhanat Zhakiyanov Leider Pena v Sagidolla Mukhametkali Rances Barth?lemy v Jorge Linares Luis Ortiz v Talgat Dosanov 3-2
Kazakhstan take an early 2-0 lead as their young stars shine. Pena gets a strong victory in the third bout. Barth?lemy may be the best lightweight in the world and he is too quick and defensively strong for Linares. Ortiz completes the comeback.
Puerto Rico Hurricanes v Nicaragua Nightmares McJoe Arroyo v Roman Gonzalez Thomas Dulorme v Walter Castillo Keith Tapia v Mercio Figueroa McWilliams Arroyo v Cristofer Rosales Gabriel Bracero v Roberto Arriaza 3-2
Despite the wins of the Nicaraguan stars they do not get enough from their other team mates. Rosales and Castillo both are competitive but neither can do enough to get the decision. McJoe Arroyo is injured and misses the rest of the tournament. Cristofer Rosales is injured and misses the rest of the tournament.
Puerto Rico Hurricanes 9-6 Domodores De Cuba 8-7 Nicaragua Nightmares 7-8 Astana Arlans 6-9
Group D Filipino Flashes v Mexico Guerreros John Riel Casemiro v Juan Francisco Estrada Manny Pacquaio v Antonio Orozco Mark Magsayo v Oscar Valdez Aurelio Angel v Rogelio Medina Donnie Nietes v Ganigan Lopez 2-3
A rare occasion where Philippines get to use numerous marquee boxers and still come out on the wrong side. The key fight is the first one as Estrada dominate Casemiro.
Tokyo Terrors v Ukraine Ottomans Takashi Uchiyama v Vasyl Lomachenko Koki Tyson v Max Bursak Masayoshi Nakatani v Denis Berinchyk Yuki Nonaka v Stanyslav Skorokhod Kubrat Pulev v Wladimir Klitschko 1-4
Lomachenko and Klitschko bookend a strong Ukrainian team. Bursak wins in the second fight while Nonaka takes the fourth. Berinchyk is a superstar in the making and takes a bit of a shock win here.
Filipino Flashes v Tokyo Terrors John Riel Casemiro v Kazuto Ioka Nonito Donaire v Hozumi Hazegawa Marlon Tapales v Shinsuke Yamanaka Donnie Nietes v Akira Yaegashi Jerwin Arcajas v Naoya Inoue 2-3
What a list of names. Some of the best boxers in the lighter weights are here. Ioka, Yamanaka and Nietes run their divisions and take the wins. Ioka is another brilliant boxer and too much for Casemiro. Donaire gets the win in the battle of the veterans but Inoue runs over Arcajas to win the tie.
Mexico Guerreros v Ukraine Ottomans Francisco Vargas v Vasyl Lomachenko Antonio Orozco v Taras Shelestyuk Gilberto Ramirez v Max Bursak Carlos Cuadras v Luis Concepcion Saul Alvarez v Stanyslav Skorokhod 3-2
The Ukrainians start fast as Lomachenko sensationally beats Vargas while Shelestyuk also impresses. Mexico gets the draw with Cuadras, Canelo and Ramirez who take the win for Mexico.
Ukraine Ottomans v Filipino Flashes Vasyl Lomachenko v Randy Braga Taras Shelestyuk v Manny Pacquaio Sergiy Derevyanchenko v Tureano Johnson Artem Dalakian v John Riel Casemiro Liborio Solis v Marlon Tapales 2-3
Two superstars start the night with comfortable wins. Derevyanchenko shows his quality by stopping Johnson late on. Tapales and Casemiro both got late wins to turn the tie. Liborio Solis gets injured and does not compete in the tournament again.
Tokyo Terrors v Mexico Guerreros Kazuto Ioka v Juan Francisco Estrada Takashi Uchiyama v Francisco Vargas Hozumi Hazegawa v Jonathan Guzman Masayoshi Nakatani v Dante Jardon Yuki Nonaka v Saul Alvarez 1-4
The first three fights are superb bouts. Estrada edges Iota before Uchiyama gets one back. Guzman manages to stop Hazegawa to put Mexico back in front and cruise on that momentum to take the victory. Yoki Nonaka gets injured and does not compete in the tournament again.
Mexico Guerreros 10-5 Ukraine Ottomans 8-7 Filipino Flashes 7-8 Tokyo Terrors 5-10
Quarter Finals
British Lionhearts 13-2 v Argentina Condors 7-8 Carl Frampton v Jesus Cuellar Kell Brook v Cesar Miguel Barrionuevo Anthony Crolla v Ismael Barroso Tony Bellew v Victor Emilio Ramirez Hekkie Budler v Adrian Perez 5-0
A rematch from the group stages and Britain once again jump out to the early lead. Crolla completes the victory with a win over Barroso. Bellew and Budler complete the rout with wins. Carl Frampton is injured and misses the rest of the tournament
USA Knockouts 12-3 v Ukraine Ottomans 8-7 Deontay Wilder v Wladimir Klitschko Terence Crawford v Viktor Postol Timothy Bradley v Taras Shelestyuk Joseph Diaz v Oleg Yefimovych Miguel Cartagena v Artem Dalakian 3-2
Klitschko takes the win over Wilder but Crawford has a win over Postol. Bradley and Diaz take the USA into a unassailable lead but I edge the potential of Dalakian to make it a respectable score. Deontay Wilder is injured and misses the rest of the tournament
Mexico Guerreros 10-5 v Domodores De Cuba 8-7 Saul Alvarez v Erislandy Lara Francisco Vargas v Yuriorkis Gamboa Antonio Oroczo v Yordenis Ugas Luis Nery v Jorge De Jesus Romero Daniel Sandoval v Yunier Calzada 3-2
Cuba go 2-0 up as Lara avenges his defeat to Canelo and Gamboa takes a wide decision over Vargas. Mexico really get lucky with the draw as they avoid five or six of the best Cuban boxers and show their strength in depth.
Puerto Rico Hurricanes 9-6 v Russia Boxing Team 9-6 Eduard Troyanovsky v Thomas Dulorme Bongani Mahlangu v Luis Orlando Del Valle Evgeny Gradovich v Luis Rosa Nikolay Potapov v Anselmo Moreno Artur Bertibiev v Isaac Chilemba 4-1
Russia take an early lead with three big wins. Troyanovsky, Gradovich and Mahlangu are all quite strong favourites and deliver. Moreno also gets an easy win whilst it?s Bertibiev who consolidates the result.
Semi Final
Russia Boxing Team v British Lionhearts Alexander Povetkin v Tyson Fury David Avanesyan v Kell Brook Denis Lebedev v Tony Bellew Sergey Kovalev v Nathan Cleverly Denis Shafikov v Anthony Crolla Evgeny Gradovich v Lee Selby Rustam Shamsidinov v Andrew Selby 2-5
This shows the really strength in depth and variety of British boxing. The two Russian wins come from Kovalev and Lebedev who both stop their opposition. All the other boxers are strong but still outclassed by the Brits.
USA Knockouts v Mexico Guerreros Demetrious Andrade v Saul Alvarez Carlos Licona v Ganigan Lopez Terence Crawford v Raymundo Beltran Jason Sosa v Francisco Vargas Gary Russell v Leo Santa Cruz Daniel Roman v Cesar Juarez Daniel Lozano v Carlos Cuadras 3-4
Heading into the last it was 3-3. Alvarez and Lopez got Mexico off to the perfect start but the comeback was well and truly on when Crawford took a big win before Sosa and Russell boxed beautifully to take wins. Cesar Juarez got the win to take it back to a draw. Mexico get the edge as they get to pick Carlos Cuadras. The Mexican gets the stoppage to give Mexico a spot in the final. Saul Alvarez is injured and misses the rest of the tournament
Final
British Lionhearts v Mexico Guerreros This British team is heavy favourite heading into the final. They have dominated all opposition with a frightening strength of depth. Adding to this is the injury to Saul Alvarez, suffered in the semi final which takes away arguably their best boxer. This is slightly equalised by Britain missing Carl Frampton but they have a stronger replacement.
James DeGale v Gilberto Ramirez Ramirez has the potential and intriguing upside but DeGale has the know how and experience. DeGale has been more impressive by miles and will probably win a decision.
Lee Selby v Leo Santa Cruz Carl Frampton would be favoured here but his injury brings in Selby. The Welshman is a talent but Santa Cruz can win this bout on the front foot by decision.
Khalid Yafai v Carlos Cuadras Yafai is certainly a talent. He has the speed and power. Cuadras, however, is a world class talent and you need to be special to beat him. Cuadras earns the late stoppage.
Kell Brook v Antonio Orozco Kell Brook is one of the premier boxers at the weight. Brook is just too talented and has beaten better boxers than Orozco has ever fought. He wins by mid round stoppage.
Hekkie Budler v Saul Juarez Both boxers have just recently lost their world titles. However, Juarez is the more impressive of the two and I make him the favourite to take the decision.
Billy Joe Saunders v Daniel Sandoval Canelo would have been a huge difference here but Sandoval is nowhere near that quality. Billy Joe tears Sandoval apart and stops him in the fourth.
Nathan Cleverly v Marco Antonio Periban Cleverly is not the strongest of British fighters but has a strong advantage over Periban. He uses his solid skills and basics to get through the fight to a wide decision.
4-3 British Lionhearts win the Professional WSB Follow us on Twitter@boxing_com to continue the discussion
