(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) Action in the World Series of Boxing Americas continues later this week as the new, global league moves on into its third week. The Los Angeles Matadors (1-1) have taken an early lead in the conference standings having won seven of their first 10 bouts as a team. However, the Matadors, along with the three other teams that comprise the Americas conference are still looking to establish their own identities in the ring. The results from week three could provide a much clearer look as to what the year might bring for each squad as the season unfolds..
Stepping into the ring first in week three will be the Mexico City Guerreros (1-1) and the Miami Gallos (1-1) on Thursday, December 9, as Miami gets set to host their second home contest of the season. No WSB Americas team has yet to go into an arena and steal one away from their home opponent. In fact, the Matadors are the only team to have picked up a victory away from home having won two bouts against the Gallos on November 23.
The Guerreros looked impressive in their home opener against the Memphis Force in the inaugural bout of the WSB season on November 19. The Guerreros swept the Force, 5-0, in their season debut and three of the boxers on that card will be in action Thursday evening in Miami. Bantamweight (51kg/119 pounds) Braulio Avila, lightweight (61kg/134 pounds) Juan Romero and light heavyweight (85kg/187 pounds) Javier Ortega headline the team traveling to south Florida. The remaining two boxers including middleweight (73kg/161 pounds) Esquiva Florentino and heavyweight (91+kg/200+kg) Damien Sealy provide a strong international flavor to the Guerrero line-up and have yet to face their first WSB competition. Florentino is from Brazil while Sealy is from Barbados.
The Miami Gallos will feature five boxers who have all made their WSB debuts including middleweight William Williams and heavyweight Trent Rawlins. Williams was impressive in his season opener against the LA Matadors’ Charles Watson, which helped turned momentum around for the Gallos against the Matadors, after facing an early 0-2 deficit before the Williams decision. Rawlins also was on that same card and brought home a victory for the Gallos in the fifth and deciding bout. The Gallos will also feature bantamweight Jose Meza Ochoa, lightweight Roberto Gonzalez and light heavyweight Siju Shabazz on the card as well. Each fighter will be looking to break into the win column after each suffered a loss in their first WSB bouts. A complete roster of bouts is featured below.
“After watching the way Mexico City performed against Memphis, it’s clear that they have a very strong team,” said Miami Gallos Head Coach Pat Burns. “However, our guys are up to the task and it’s going to be a very exciting match.”
Weigh-ins for the December 9 bouts will take place on Wednesday at the Miami Hilton Downtown in the Tenor Room beginning at 6 p.m. ET.
On Sunday, December 12, the Matadors will host the Memphis Force (1-1) at the Nokia Club in downtown Los Angeles. A preview of the two teams competing in that contest will be released on Friday once the two teams have submitted their final rosters.
Boxing fans can catch WSB action on VERSUS throughout the season as the cable network will air all 24 regular-season matches for the WSB Americas to determine qualification for the finals of the World Series of Boxing.
Previously, the WSB announced that U.S. Spanish network Vme had acquired the rights to broadcast the WSB in the U.S. Hispanic market and Puerto Rico. Carriage of the WSB is the first sporting event to be broadcast by Vme on an ongoing basis. Vme began broadcasting WSB coverage on November 20 and will continue to carry weekly matches throughout the first season. The network has also created a WSB news and commentary program, Sexto Round, which is airing weekly on Thursday nights.
Televisa Deportes Network (TDN) will be broadcasting WSB events in Mexico featuring the Mexico City Guerreros. TDN is a all-sports pay-TV network with a subscription base of 23-million plus and it is owned by Televisa, the worlds largest producer of Spanish language television content.
Mexico City Guerreros vs. Miami Gallos – December 9, 2010
Mexico City Guerreros
Division Name WSB Record
54 Kg Braulio Avila 1-0
61 Kg Juan Romero 1-0
73 Kg Esquiva Florentino 0-0
85 Kg Javier Ortega 1-0
91+Kg Damien Sealy 0-0
Miami Gallos
Division Name WSB Record
54 Kg Jose Meza Ochoa 0-1
61 Kg Roberto Gonzalez 0-1
73 Kg William Williams 1-0
85 Kg Siju Shabazz 0-1
91+ Kg Trent Rawlins 1-0
About World Series of Boxing Americas
The World Series of Boxing is a global sports league created by the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) to reunite the broader boxing world and its grassroots foundation, provide a bridge between Olympic boxing and professional boxing, and grow the sport’s fan base in the United States and throughout the world.