Mumbai: It is going to be the ultimate battle of power, tactics and endurance when the home team Venky’s Mumbai Fighters meets Baku Fires in their first quarterfinal of the World Series Boxing 2011-12. The Fighters entered WSB only this season and leaped to quarterfinals which in itself is a historic moment. Fighters and Fires will play two quarterfinals with the first leg to be played at T-Box Mobile Arena at Inorbit Mall in Malad on Friday evening and the following one on March 10 in Baku.

Udit Sheth (Team Principal, Mumbai Fighters and MD of TransStadia Private Limited) said, “Our boxers have made us proud and they have delivered exactly what was expected from them. Their sheer hard work and commitment towards the team has earned us this place in the WSB. Besides, the team management has done a fantastic job in selecting players, forming excellent strategies and using right boxer against the opponents in every match. The Indian Boxing Federation and AIBA also have helped us at every step.”

Reaching the quarterfinals was not easy for the Fighters. And they are in no mood of taking it easy from here on too. Their opponents, Baku Fires, are the toppers of group B and have not lost any match in the season (well, so far) making it a perfect-10. Venky’s Mumbai Fighters are placed fourth in Group A with winning 4 matches out of 10. The Baku Fires have won 40 out of 50 bouts in the season, whereas Fighters have won 24 out of 50. In the match line up, Fighters’ Bantamweight boxer Jitender Kumar will face Gairbek Germakhanov of Baku Fires who is ranked number 1 in WSB and has won all 5 bouts in this series including one technical knock-out against Murat Temur of Istanbul Bosphorus in the first match.

In the Lightweight category, Charly Suarez of Fighters will take on Semen Grivachev. Charly who has the honour of registering Fighters’ first knock-out will meet Grivachev who has experience by his side for this being his second WSB season.

About the big battle ahead, Charly said, “I was elated when I knocked out the opponent in the last home match. The support from the crowd has been incredible and works as a great morale booster. I promise that I won’t disappoint.”

The ring will be shared by Tomasz Jabłoński of Fighters and Mikalai Vesialou in the Middleweight category but only one will walk out as a winner. Tomasz, who is the latest addition in the home squad and is also making his WSB debut. Mikalai has played two bouts this season and won both. Ukrainian Sergii Melnyk of Fighters will make his WSB debut taking on Vatan Huseynli.

In the Heavyweight category, crowd favourite Uaine Fa will meet Haji Murtuzaliyev of Baku Fires. Murtuzaliyev has played five matches to win two which included one Technical Knock-Out. He got Walk-Over in one match and lost two. On the other hand Fa has won both the bouts he has fought till date and hopes to continue his impressive run.

Match Line-up

Venky’s Mumbai Fighters vs Baku Fires
BANTAMWEIGHT
Jitender Kumar (2009 Continental Championship – Bronze, 2008 Olympic Games – Quarterfinal, 2008 World Cup – Bronze, 2007 Continental Championship – Bronze)
vs
Gairbek Germakhanov (2010 President's Cup – Bronze, 2011 National Championship – Bronze, 2010 National Championship – Bronze)

LIGHTWEIGHT
Charly Suarez (2011 President's Cup – Silver, 2008 President's Cup – Quarterfinal)
vs         
Semen Grivachev (2009 President's Cup – Gold, 2009 National Championship – Bronze, 2010 National Championship – Quarterfinal)

MIDDLEWEIGHT
Tomasz Jabłoński (2011 National Championship – Bronze, 2010 National Championship – Silver)
vs
Mikalai Vesialou (2010 European Championship – Bronze, 2008 European Championship – Quarterfinal, 2010 National Championship – Gold)

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
Sergii Melnyk (2011 National Championship – Silver, 2010 National Championship – Bronze, 2009 National Championship – Bronze, 2008 National Championship – Bronze)
vs
Vatan Huseynli (2010 Youth World Championships – Quarterfinal, 2008 Youth President's Cup – Bronze, 2011 National Championship – Bronze)

HEAVYWEIGHT
Uaine Fa (2009 National Championship – Gold, 2008 Oceanian Championship – Silver)
vs
Haji Murtuzaliyev