Going into the match at York Hall 3-2 down on aggregate, the Lionhearts won the first three bouts to go ahead before their rivals pulled off wins in the last two fights.

With proceedings locked at 5-5, an extra super-heavyweight bout was required to determine who would progress and it was Solomon Dacres who defeated Marin Mindoljevic with a unanimous points decision to send the hosts through.

It looked as if the Lionhearts, last year’s beaten finalists, where on their way to the last four after Will Cawley, Calum French and Andras Vadasz won their respective flyweight, lightweight and welterweight bouts.

However, the tide turned as Bakary Diabira defeated Alejandro Camacho Fernandez in the light-heavyweight fight before Jonathan Nacto won his super-heavyweight battle with Patrick Mailata to set up the tie-break.

Waiting for the Lionhearts in the semis are Astana Arlans Kazakhstan, who stormed through after a 4-1 victory today over Patriot Boxing Team helped them to an aggregate score of 7-3.

Olzhas Sattibayev, Zakir Safiullin, Aslanbek Shymbergenov and Arman Rysbek all carded wins for Astana while Artem Suslenkov got a consolation victory for the Russian side at the Boxing Centre Sapiyev in Karaganda City.