Mumbai Fighters take on season 1`s runners-up in WSB

Mumbai: Having inflicted a 5-0 defeat on LA Matadors last week, a confident Mumbai Fighters will face their next big test when they take on season one`s runners-up, Astana Arlans, in a Group A round five match of the World Series Boxing on Friday.

The two sides have secured seven points each in four matches. Both teams have won two and lost two. However, Mumbai Fighters stand a place above Astana Arlans in the third spot having won 12 of the 20 bouts so far as compared to 10 by the Kazakhstan-based franchisee in as many bouts. Taking the field for the hosts will be 2002 World Cadet Championship gold medallist Balbir Singh (Bantamweight), national champion Diwakar Prasad (Lightweight), three-time Croatian national champion Sanjin Pol Vrgoc (Middleweight), Belarusian Leanid Charnabayeu (Light Heavyweight), and 2007 national games gold medallist Krishan Kumar (Heavyweight). The visitors will be be represented by Khabibulla Ismail Akhunov (Bantamweight), Mussafirov Yerzhan (Lightweight), Miras Bairkhanov (Middlewight), Abdelhafid Benchabla (Light Heavyweight) and Chouaib Bouloudinats (Heavyweight). Mumbai Fighters had lost their first two matches against Milano Thunder and Dynamo Moscow. They were awarded a walkover over Bangkok Elephants. Group A is being headed by the Thunders, who have 12 points. PTI