World Series of Boxing


The World Series of Boxing or WSB is an international boxing tournament that allows amateur boxers to compete professionally while maintaining amateur status and Olympic eligibility. It is organised by AIBA. It is a team match-up, in many ways similar to other professional sport leagues.

History

World Series of Boxing had its precursor, International Boxing League, a short-lived U.S. venture established in November 1969, shortly after the first U.S.—Soviet boxing dual, and functioned to 1971. It hosted several exhibition tours of the Soviet boxing team across the United States, in cities, where IBL teams were located. Bill Daniels was the boss of the league. The league folded due to financial reasons for amateur boxing wasn't profitable in the United States contrary to professional boxing.

Format

Unlike amateur boxing, competitors taking part in sanctioned World Series of Boxing bouts must be bare-chested and are not permitted to wear protective headgear. Each participating boxer is drafted by one of a number of international franchises and can earn money by taking part in professional-style bouts. However, they maintain Olympic and AIBA world championship eligibility and remain eligible to compete at the Olympic Games.
Like professional boxing, each bout is decided by the scores of three judges or, in some cases, by a knockout, technical knockout or walk-over. A WSB meet between two international franchises consists of bouts in ten weight categories. There are five three-minute rounds in each bout and the team that wins the most number of bouts wins the meet.

Weight classes

Until season 4, there were five weight categories which were different than 10 categories in amateur boxing or 17 categories in professional boxing. These were Heavyweight, Light heavyweight, Middleweight, Lightweight and Bantamweight. In the fourth season, the number of weight classes was increased to ten, and they are same as in amateur boxing.
Teams played in the WSB:
SeasonTeamsWinnersRunners-upFinal score
2010–1112 Paris United Astana Arlans6–4
2011–1212 D&G Milano Thunder Dynamo Moscow4–1
2012–1312 Astana Arlans Ukraine Otamans6–5
2013–1412 Cuba Domadores Baku Fires6–5
201516 Astana Arlans Cuba Domadores6–4
201616 Cuba Domadores British Lionhearts9–1
201712 Astana Arlans Cuba Domadores6–5
201812 Cuba Domadores Astana Arlans7–3

Performance by club