British Lionhearts announce squad for WSB decider

The match will decide which team wins the European WSB group in Newport on Sunday April 14, with the Lionhearts looking to avenge their 3-2 defeat in the opening match of the season.

Will Cawley, Carl Fail and Solomon Dacres are joined by Dzmitry Asanau from Belarus and Irishman Joe Ward in the five-strong squad.

"It'll be a tough match between the two top-placed teams to see who wins the European group," admitted Rob McCracken, Lionhearts' head coach and the performance director of GB Boxing.

"The British Lionhearts are fielding a strong team, despite the Commonwealth Games currently being underway in Australia.

"With the boxers who would normally compete in the World Series of Boxing unable to feature in the team, it's an opportunity for the other boxers to step up and show what they can do.

"The team will be in good spirits following on from their recent away victory in Croatia. We are up against a good team, it will be a great night of boxing for the fans."

Cawley and Dacres have faced Roosters before, while welterweight Fail is making his WSB debut for the team.

And overseas selections Ward and Asanau have both competed for Lionhearts before, with Ward starring in a 5-0 home win over Croatian Knights earlier in the season, and Asanau, who travelled for their away match in Italy.

They are expecting to face a French team including lightweight Sofiane Oumiha and Olympic silver medallist flyweight Daniel Asenov, who is also the European champion.

WSB is an amateur competition that bridges the gap between the Olympic and professional disciplines, as boxers fight without vests or headguards over five three-minute rounds.

The winning team wins three or more of a match's five bouts.

Sportsbeat 2018