The two teams met in the last four of the competition in 2016 with the British team claiming a 7-3 victory.

However, they were blown away at the Kostanay Sport Palace today.

Action began in the light flyweight category with Temirtas Zhussupov claiming a ninth career win in the five-round format.

He defeated the visitors' debutant Kiaran MacDonald via a unanimous points decision.

Astana then doubled their advantage when Incheon 2014 Asian Games gold medallist Ilyas Suleimenov saw off another British newcomer in Christopher Bourke at bantamweight.

The British ringside team abandoned the fight in the fifth round, handing Suleimenov a comprehensive success.

The hosts' domination continued when Dilmurat Mizhitov brought Britain's Conor Loftus' unbeaten record this season to an end.

Mizhitov collected a unanimous points victory in the light-welterweight contest.

Hopes of a clean sweep for the hosts grew even further when Abilkhan Amankul made it 4-0.

He defeated the Lionhearts' American draft pick Nikita Ababiy on a unanimous decision in the middleweight bout.

The British team did manage to hang on to a glimmer of hope going into the second leg of the semi-final on June 8, following a victory in the heavyweight contest.

New Zealand representative David Nyika secured a unanimous victory over Anton Pinchuk, a 2014 Asian Games winner and recently crowned Asian champion.

In the first leg of the second semi-final the Colombia Heroicos claimed a 3-2 advantage over the Cuba Domadores.

The Domadores are attempting to reach a fourth consecutive WSB final but they were narrowly beaten at the Atlantico Plaza Principal De Soledad this evening.

The hosts have so far put together a sensational debut campaign, which included a memorable win over the Domadores earlier in the competition.

In the first bout of the evening the Heroicos' Rio 2016 silver medallist light-flyweight Yuberjen Martinez secured a unanimous points win over Jorge Grinan.

The Dominican Republic’s Leonel De Los Santos then gave the Colombians their second victory of the evening.

He secured a comprehensive points victory of Javier Ibanez, who won their group stage match.

Andy Cruz then put the Domadores on the scoreboard.

He maintained his unbeaten record this season after being awarded a unanimous victory by the judges in his light-welterweight clash with Elvis Severino Rodriguez.

Colombian middleweight Jorge Luis Vivas boasted a 100 per cent record in this year’s group stage, a run that included a remarkable win over Olympic Champion Arlen Lopez.

Vivas once again proved too good for Lopez tonight as he was unanimously awarded the contest after five rounds to give the Heroicos a 3-1 lead.

Cuba Domadores’ Erislandy Savon, a bronze medallist at Rio 2016, then gave his country some hope heading into the second leg when he secured a split decision win in his heavyweight bout against the Heroicos’ experienced 37-year-old Deivis Julio Blanco.