>> What is Mumbai Fighters?
Mumbai Fighters is the Indian Boxing franchise at the International Boxing Association (AIBA) organized World Series of Boxing (WSB). The team is owned by TransStadia Boxing India Pvt Ltd and is based out of Mumbai.
>> When did TransStadia buy the team?
With an intention to give Indian boxing a much needed shot in the arm, TransStadia decided that this sport was their calling. Joining hands with AIBA's brainchild World Series of Boxing, TransStadia signed a $5 million deal to pick the Indian franchise on July 31, 2011. With the deal, TransStadia got the franchise rights for a period of ten years.
>> What is the WSB?
The World Series of Boxing (WSB), initiated by the International Boxing Association (AIBA), is the only professional boxing series in which the boxers retain their Olympic eligibility.
>> What is the format of WSB?
The World Series of Boxing is an annually recurring, global competition featuring franchisees (teams) located around the world (in Europe, Asia and North America).
The teams are divided into two groups A and B. Each group consists of six teams
The competition comprises three phases:
- Regular season of league matches between teams
- Play-off series: quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals
- Individual championships for each weight category
During the Regular Season within each group, the teams will meet each other once at home and once away, giving a total of ten matches for each team.
After each league season, the two top boxers in each weight category based on the WSB ranking system compete in the Individual Championships. The winner of each weight category is the designated WSB World Champion in that weight category for the relevant season.
>> Which all weight categories are the bouts held in?
Bantamweight: 50 - 54kg
Lightweight: 57 - 61kg
Middleweight: 68 - 73kg
Light-Heavyweight: 80 - 85kg
Heavyweight: 91+kg
>> How many rounds in a bout? Duration?
The match-day format consists of five bouts (one in each weight category), with each bout consisting of five rounds of three minutes each.
At the Individual Championships, the bouts consist of seven rounds of three minutes each.
>> When does the WSB season start?
The WSB 2011-2012 Season will start on November 11, 2011. The regular season runs from November 2011 through to the 18th of February 2012. The quarter and semi-finals will take place in March 2012 and the team final will take place at the end of April 2012. The Individual Championship bouts will take place in May 2012. See the full schedule here
>> How many boxers does a team have?
The minimum number of international boxers per squad is as follows:
- For a 15-boxer squad: 4
- For a 16 to 18 boxer squad: 5
- For a 19 to 20 boxer squad: 6
- For a squad with more than 20 boxers: at least 7
The maximum number of international boxers from the same country per franchise remains as 2.
>> How does the scoring work?
An electronic scoring system is used with three judges operating a 10-point "must" system in which the opponents are scored 10-9, 10-8 or 10-7 at the end of each round, based on their overall performance. The scores are announced at the end of the bout.
With regard to the overall scoring for each match, each team receives one point for each bout that it wins so the team that wins three or more of the five bouts in a match will be the winning team.
Teams earn three points for a win; in case of a draw each team earns two points, a team earns one point in case of a defeat 3-2. There are no points for a 5-0 or 4-1 defeat.
>> Can the same boxer fight for all the bouts in his weight category?
Each franchisee has a minimum of 15 boxers up to unlimited number, with a minimum of two boxers for each weight category. The franchisees need a minimum of two squads of five boxers in order to ensure that all boxers can have the mandatory minimum 13-day rest period between matches.
