Kazakhstan began the first leg at the National Tennis Centre in Astana having lost just once in Season V, while Cuba’s lone competitive defeat in WSB came in the group stages of Season IV.

But the dominant record of the Domadores was broken by Astana Arlans, whose success began in the opening contest at light flyweight.

Home favourite Temirtas Zhussupov was not an overwhelming favourite against 18-year-old Cuban Joahnys Oscar Argilagos Perez, but the Kazakh star produced arguably his greatest-ever performance in the competition at the most important time, winning every round on all three scorecards.

Zhussupov is almost a decade older than Perez, and his extra experience was clear from the outset as he overwhelmed the 2013 International Boxing Association Junior world champion with great workrate and accurate shots.

Perez set a high pace in the early stages of the fight, but could not use the combination punching which has made him so successful this season, with his attacks frequently nullified by Zhussupov.

As the rounds progressed, the Kazakh veteran took the young Cuban out of his comfort zone, and targeted both the head and body of Perez.

The Astana Arlans fighter looked fresher throughout, while fatigue and frustration began to show on Perez’s youthful features towards the end of round five as he lost out. 

Cuba’s London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Robeisy Ramirez evened up the scoring in the second match of the evening when he narrowly defeated Kazakhstan’s Kairat Yeraliyev at bantamweight.

At the beginning of the fifth round the boxers were level on the scorecards with everything to play for.

Ramirez began the last frame with serious intent, and dominated the first minute with relentless pressure.

Yeraliyev made one of his famous comebacks, but was unable to fully defend himself against the Cuban onslaught.

All three judges eventually awarded the match to Ramirez by a score of 48-47, which levelled the overall scoring on the night.

Kazakhstan retook the lead in match number three as their popular light welterweight Samat Bashenov became the first man to defeat Yasnier Toledo this season.

Just as the bantamweight bout had been decided by the last three minutes, so too was this one, with a final round producing incredible drama.

Despite suffering a head injury which opened up in the third round, Bashenov would just not stop coming forwards, and his tenacity was rewarded by a victory of the narrowest margins, as he won 48-47 across the board.

Cuba had only previously lost two matches in a fixture once this season, but their loss count increased further at middleweight when Meiirim Nursultanov outpointed Arlen Lopez.

Nursultanov’s savage right hands began to materialise once more in the final stanza, as they had in rounds two and three after a slow start.  

Although the combination punching of Lopez was successful in spurts, the Kazakh found extra energy, and clinched the contest 48-47 on all three scorecards.

His victory ensured an opening night first leg win for Astana Arlans with one match to go.

As if the heavyweight shootout between Vassiliy Levit and Erislandy Savon needed any more hype, the ramifications for the final bout of the evening were even higher following the earlier action in Astana.

If Levit succeeded, Kazakhstan would have opened up a huge 4-1 lead heading into the second leg, but despite a brilliant effort full of aggression and courage, he was unable to become the first man to defeat the unbeaten Savon.

Following an absorbing fourth round, Savon was two rounds ahead on a brace of scorecards, while Levit was well ahead according to the third judge.

Levit needed a monstrous finish to take the victory, but despite waves of attacks against a clearly tiring Savon, the Kazakh warrior could not remove the outstanding Domadores from his feet to claim two much needed 10-8 rounds.

It was Savon who won the contest by split decision, which gave Cuba a vital second triumph of the evening.

Tomorrow evening will see the second leg in Astana, where Kazakhstan know they only need to win three further matches to claim their second WSB Championship.


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