Manoj to make WSB debut on June 8 for British Lionhearts

“It will be a first time experience at the WSB and I hope I can pull off a good win for my team,” the welterweight boxer said.

Olympian Manoj Kumar will make his WSB debut in the semi-final clash against the franchise Astana Arlans Kazakhstan.

Olympian Manoj Kumar will make his World Series of Boxing (WSB) debut on June 8 after being called by his franchise British Lionhearts for the semi-final clash against Astana Arlans Kazakhstan.

The welterweight boxer qualified for the August-September World Championships at the Asian Championships, earlier this month. “It will be a first time experience at the WSB and I hope I can pull off a good win for my team,” Manoj said.

Manoj was among three Indian boxers, who were picked by British Lionhearts mid-season but Vikas Krishan (75kg) and K Shyam Kumar (49kg) did not compete for different reasons.

Vikas was stopped from going to the event by the Boxing Federation of India after he forfeited his Asian Championships semi-final. Shyam Kumar, on the other hand, remained in the reserves.

Manoj has been called by the British franchise to compete in the second leg of the semi-final which will be fought in London. The first leg is scheduled on June 3 in Kostanay, Kazakhstan.

The WSB is a semi-professional league format event that leads to play-offs and a final. The boxers compete without vests or headguards in five three-minute rounds — five bouts per match — scored by the 10-Point Must System.