World Series Boxing

The World Series of Boxing is an initiative of AIBA, the International Boxing Association, which is the international governing body for the sport of boxing recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The five weight categories are:

  • Bantamweight (54kg)
  • Lightweight (61kg)
  • Middleweight (73kg)
  • Light heavyweight (85kg)
  • Heavyweight (91+kg)

Twelve city based franchisee teams divided in two groups to ensure a fair regional representation in each group

Within each group, the teams will meet each other on home and away basis, giving a total of 10 matches for each franchise

The top four in each group will go through to the play-offs, with the top team in one group facing the 4th placed team in the other and the 2nd placed team in one group taking on the 3rd placed team in the other

The 2011-2012 season will start on November 11, 2011. The quarters and semis stage will start from March 2, 2012. Final on April 27/28

RULES

Boxers fight without headguards or vests, with professional-style scoring, three judges and one referee and one supervisor

A match consists of five bouts, with each bout of five rounds of three minutes each. The team with most wins from five bouts wins the match

MUMBAI FIGHTERS

TransStadia has signed an exclusive ten-year deal as a franchise owner with World Series of Boxing (WSB), a property owned by International Boxing Association (AIBA), the apex body of the sport worldwide. TransStadia will exclusively represent as a franchise owner for India with team operating out of Mumbai.

The Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) will provide with technical assistance at every level to the franchise. Each franchise in the WSB needs to have a minimum of 10 boxers with at least three from abroad and a maximum of 20 boxers, six of whom need to be foreign ones. Most of the domestic slots in the Mumbai franchise will be confirmed sometime soon.

Meanwhile, the foreign boxers will be picked up in an IPL-style auction which will be held in October. The TransStadia team will compete against five opponents on a home-and-away basis in Group A, which includes Dolce & Gabbana Milano Thunder of Italy, Bangkok Team, Los Angeles Matadors of USA, Dynamo Moscow of Russia and Astana Arlans of Kazakhstan. 

The emergence of the Mumbai-based side would be the much-needed shot in the arm to bring the sport up in a big way in the metros. There has been a swelling interest particularly around northern and north-eastern part of the country and the entry of TransStadia will prove to be the turning point.

Sports © 2011