Italia Thunder edge Croatian Knights as World Series of Boxing action continues

Italia Thunder claimed a narrow win over the Croatian Knights as action continued today in the World Series of Boxing (WSB).

Welterweight Mirko Natalizi registered a second-round knock-out win over Mate Rudan in the fourth bout to secure Italia Thunder’s away victory at the Mate Parlov Sport Center in Pula.

It ends a run of four consecutive defeats in Group B and earns them a second win from their six matches.

Vincenzo Picardi put Italia Thunder into a 1-0 lead after claiming a split-decision win over Tinko Rosenov Banabakov in their flyweight contest.

Croatian Knights moved back onto level terms thanks to super heavyweight Ante Verunica’s win against Guido Vianello by the same method, but they soon found themselves behind once more as Italia Thunder’s Michael Magnesi managed a comfortable victory over Stefan Ivanov at lightweight.

That gave Natalizi the opportunity to register the decisive win and he made no mistake in doing so.

The last bout of the night came at light heavyweight and saw Marko Calic secure a consolation victory for Croatian Knights by claiming a unanimous points win over Riccardo Valentino.

Italia Thunder have finished their Group B campaign in third with eight points, which is six more than last-placed Croatian Knights.

The last match in four-team round-robin is due to take place tomorrow with the British Lionhearts play host to the France Fighting Roosters.

France Fighting Roosters currently have 15 points, while the British Lionhearts have 13.

Today’s other WSB match pitted Colombia Heroicos against Cuba Domadores with the latter prevailing 3-2 on their visit to Combarranquilla in Soledad.

Lightweight Lazaro Alvarez, welterweight Roniel Iglesias and light heavyweight Julio La Cruz all claimed unanimous points wins to secure Cuba Domadores' Group A victory.

They beat Duvan Zuleta Moreno, Jhan Carlos Ubarnes Urango and Diego Alejandro Motoa Carabali respectively.

Colombia Heroicos' two points also came through 3-0 victories as flyweight Ceiber Avila Segura defeated Arnolys Bignotte Taylor and super heavyweight Cristian Salcedo Codazzi overcame Jose Larduet.

As well as France Fighting Roosters' meeting with the British Lionhearts, tomorrow will also see reigning WSB champions Astana Arlans Kazakhstan welcome China Dragons to Taraz in Group C.