After a close 3-2 defeat in the opening leg in Kazakhstan, the Baku Fires were on top form at the Olympic Complex in Guba, using their home advantage to storm to victory and make it to the final against Cuba Domadores, who thrashed the Russian Boxing Team in the other semi-final yesterday.

Things could not have got off to a better start for the home team as they stormed to a 3-0 lead after victories for Elvin Mamishzada, Albert Selimov and Yauheni Ramashkevich.

Mamishzada opened the evening for the Baku Fires as he claimed a narrow points victory over Kazakhstan's Ilyas Suleimenov in a rematch of their week six contest, in which Mamishzada had won by unanimous points' decision.

The flyweight boxer showed his speed and agility as he went to work on his Kazak counterpart to record a split decision points victory and level the tie at three wins apiece.

Elvin Mamishzada got the contest of to the best possible start for the home side as he beat Ilyas Suleimenov ©AIBA



The lightweight contest did not quite live up to expectations as Astana Arlans' Samat Bashenov was forced out of the ring due to injury.

With Selimov having won the opening round, the contest was awarded to the Azerbaijani boxer, giving his side a 2-0 advantage on the night and a 4-3 lead overall.

In the welterweight contest, Ramashkevich threw the stat book out the window as he recorded a unanimous points victory over Kazakhstan's Manat Omerzakov despite a 1-2 record in this season's WSB season.

The fourth bout of the day could have spelt the end for the Astana Arlans after a completely dominant start from the home side.

Hrvoje Sep gave the visitors a ray of hope, however, as he used his superior WSB experience to see off competition from Mikhail Dauhaliavets.

Sep came into the fight with 20 more bouts under his belt than his opponent, but only just made the advantage count, as a point deduction in the last round for his gum shield falling out for the third time saw Dauhaliavets record the first loss of the night for the Baku Fires.

Hrvoje Sep gave the visitors a ray of hope in the light heavyweight contest as he beat Baku Fires' Mikhail Dauhaliavets ©AIBA



In arguably the best bout of the day, Azerbaijan's super heavyweight Haji Murtuzaliyev restored order for the home side and sent them through to the WSB final as he beat WSB number two Filip Hrgovic.

Murtuzaliyev is ranked lower than his opponent, is shorter, and had already lost to him in the WSB, but against all the odds he fought his heart out, and never took a backward step in the contest, impressing the judges with his tenacity and accurate shots.

The first day of the final is due take place on May 30 at a venue still to be announced, with the remaining bouts scheduled for the following day.

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