Mumbai Fighters blank Matadors 5-0 for first WSB win

Mumbai: Mumbai Fighters rode on a huge advantage to inflict a 5-0 defeat on LA Matadors for their first win in the World Series of Boxing, thereby improving their chances of making it to the quarter-finals.

The city-based outfit, India`s only franchisee in the WSB, had started the Group A fight with a 2-0 lead in the best of five clash even before the bouts began. The bantam-weight category bout between Bhiwani lad Jitendra Kumar and Fernando Martinez and the light heavyweight clash between the home team`s Marko Cilic and Levan Guledani were awarded to the home team as a walkover. Martinez, who suffered an injury, had been replaced by the visitors with Joet Gonzalez but since he was not officially registered, the bout was awarded to the Mumbai outfit. Gonzalez, however, did take to the ring against Jitendra in an exhibition match which the Bhiwani-boxer won 50-45, 49-46, 50-49, much to the delight of the crowd that gathered at the T-Box mobile arena at the Inorbit Mall in suburban Malad. The light heavyweight clash, too, was a walkover for the Mumbai-side as Guledani had failed to procure a visa and could not turn up. Light weight pugilist Sidhharth Varma sealed the deal for the Fighters as he overcame the challenge of Eric Fowler, who had a 4-2 WSB record prior to this match, with the three udges giving an unanimous decision in his favour -- 48-47, 48-47, 48-47. PTI