Having topped Group B of the regular season with after suffering only one defeat, Astana Arlans Kazakhstan began the semi-final as favourites and had the added benefit of hosting the two-legged tie.

Their lower weight category boxers produced excellent performances to establish an early advantage over the Russia Boxing Team, who had overcome Italia Thunder in a quarter-final tie for the right to advance to this stage of Season V.

Temirtas Zhussupov was the first Astana Arlans fighter to claim victory on the night, dominating his 49 kilogram light flyweight bout with Vadim Kudriakov, with the three judges awarding the Kazakh all five rounds of the contest.

The next two fights were far closer affairs, but both ended in the home franchise’s favour, as Kairat Yeraliyev doubled Astana Arlans lead in the 56kg bantamweight division, but was forced to fend off a late rally from the Russian Boxing Team’s Andranik Grigorian, to earn a split decision triumph.

Light welterweight 64kg fighter Samat Bashenov then ensured the Astana Arlans would begin the second leg with an advantage after overcoming Avak Uzlian via a unanimous decision from the judges’ scorecards.

His sixth win of the season however was a tight encounter, as Uzlian had taken the first and final rounds of their bout, but having earned the three middle rounds Bashenov held on with two judges scoring the fight 48-47 and the third giving him the victory 49-46.

With victory on the night secured the Astana Arlans set about try to put the semi-final out of the Russian Boxing Team’s reach and in doing so take a step further than 2014, when they were eliminated in the semi-finals of the WSB.

Meiirim Nursultanov brought the final dream one step closer, by maintaining his unbeaten record in the WSB season, as he cruised to a unanimous points triumph in the middleweight 75kg category over the Russian Boxing Team's debutant Sukhrob Sidikov.

Nursultanov’s level of performance was replicated by 91kg heavyweight fighter Vassiliy Levit, as he backed up being crowned the number one WSB heavyweight in the regular season, which followed seven straight wins, by utilising his power to good effect, before his opponent Vitaly Kudukhov was disqualified in round four.

Astana Arlans know a single victory in tonight’s (May 25) second leg will see them set up an encounter with defending WSB champions the Cuba Domadores in the final, after they secured a stunning 10-0 semi-final win over the Mexico Guerreos.

By contrast the Russian Boxing Team know they have to win every bout to stand a chance of progression, with hopes resting on the likes of over 91kg superheavyweight Maxim Babanin.

In the event of a tie-break Astan Arlans’ Yerkin Mukametzhan and the Russian Boxing Team’s Dmitry Zaytsev will go head-to-head in a 91kg heavyweight fight to decide who would meet the Cuba Domadores.

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