Azerbaijan Baku Fires have claimed their fourth successive home victory in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) with a 5-0 thrashing of the USA Knockouts in Guba.
Last season’s WSB runners-up had a 1-0 lead from the outset, with American super heavyweight Lenroy Thompson, known as Cam F Awesome, unable to compete in the Group B clash.
Haji Murtuzaliyev was consequently awarded a walkover victory and Azerbaijan did not look back on a night when lightweight Albert Selimov of Russia qualified for Rio 2016.
The 2007 featherweight world champion beat Carlos Balderas of the US on points and now has the opportunity to add Olympic glory to his CV.
Selimov is three points ahead of second-ranked Cuban Lázaro Álvarez and crucially 10 points ahead of third placed Russian Adlan Abdurashidov.
This unassailable lead means he has reached Rio with one match of the regular season remaining.
The first bout of the evening saw flyweight Murad Rabadanov of Azerbaijan put a dent in the Olympic ambitions of American Brent Venegas III after winning by a split decision.
The overall win was sealed when fourth-ranked welterweight Parviz Baghirov cruised to victory against Brian Ceballo, and the rout was complete when light heavyweight Soltan Migitinov widely outpointed Steven Nelson.
Elsewhere in Group B, runaway leaders Astana Arlans Kazakhstan made it 12 wins out of 12 by overcoming Puerto Rico Hurricanes 4-1 in Puerto Rico's capital San Juan, while Italia Thunder beat Rafako Hussars Poland in Andria, Italy to keep them firmly in contention for a place in the knockout stages.
The group’s other encounter saw Caciques de Venezuela sneak a 3-2 away win against Argentina Condors in San Luis, Argentina to extend their winning run to three matches.
Meanwhile in Group A, Cuba Domadores continued to exert their dominance as a 4-1 win against Mexico Guerreros in Cuba's capital Havana moved them within two victories of an undefeated regular season.
The Russian Boxing Team, who beat the British Lionhearts 4-1 in London, are eight points back in second place, followed by the Ukraine Otamans, 5-0 winners against the Algeria Desert Hawks in Kiev.
Perhaps the most disappointed man on the night in the English capital was number two ranked super heavyweight Joe Joyce, who lost his first match of the season against Russia's Maxim Babanin by a split decision.
Joyce was looking for a sixth straight win to potentially topple the number one ranked Filip Hrgović of Croatia, but his ambitions to qualify for Rio 2016 through WSB are now out of his hands.
Things are looking up for the Morocco Atlas Lions, however, as they recorded their third win on the bounce by thrashing China Dragons 5-0 in Casablanca.
www.ann.az
Follow us !