Considering Russia have competed in a match less than the British team due to a first week postponement, this is a key match for both Franchises to assert themselves in the group, and to keep pace with Cuba Domadores and Ukraine Otamans.
The Russian team have a brand new line up replacing the five fighters who all lost in these weight classes against Cuba Domadores two weeks ago, while the British Lionhearts have also had to make changes due to injuries and form.
A Light flyweight (49 kg) bout opens the action, with Russia’s Vasiliy Egorov, who won a number of international tournaments last year, making his first appearance of the season against the 0-2 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Ashley Williams.
Russia’s 2013 AIBA World Championships silver medalist Vladimir Nikitin is in action next at Bantamweight (56 kg) where he faces Dutch Lionhearts representative Enrico La Cruz.
Light welterweight (64 kg) Vitaliy Dunaytsev makes his first appearance of the season for Russia, and the experienced boxer faces a tough opening clash against Sam Maxwell, who has won both of his matches so far in this campaign for British Lionhearts.
Petr Khamukov has plenty of his WSB experience for Russia, and he will look to make that count at Middleweight (75 kg) when he fights young British fighter Daniel Woledge who has big shoes to fill as he replaces the 2-0 Anthony Fowler who bravely fought through his first two matches with a severe cut.
The last bout of the night is at Heavyweight (91 kg) where Russia’s 2013 AIBA World Championships silver medalist Evgeny Tishchenko, one of the most exciting Heavyweight prospects in the world makes his first appearance of Season V against French fighter Abdoulaye Diane who has prior WSB experience with Algeria Desert Hawks.