WSB: All-foreign team for Mumbai Fighters in final home bout

After a series of poor results that have hurt their quarter-inal qualifying hopes, Venky's Mumbai Fighters have decided to field an all-foreign team of pugilists in their last home group tie against cellar outfit Bangkok Elephants in the World Series Boxing clash on Friday.

The Fighters will enter the ring with boxers from Kyrgyzstan, Philippines, Israel, Belarus and New Zealand in the bantamweight right up to the heavyweight categories.

This being the home outfit's last chance to enter the last eight stage from Group A, the Indian franchise has decided to leave out all the Indian boxers for the clash against the sixth-placed Bangkok team.

The match against the Thai franchise will be an ideal opportunity for the Fighters to earn the much required points and keep their hopes of entering the play-offs alive.

The top four teams from the group will enter the quarter-finals.

Currently, Los Angeles Matadors with 10 points are occupying the number four spot, while at number two and three are Astana Arlans and Dynamo Moscow, respectively with 16 points each.

At No. 1 in the group are Milano Thunder with 18 points.

The Fighters would be looking to topple the Matadors from the No 4 position.

After Friday's match against the Elephants, the Fighters will play two more matches -- against the Matadors on February 13 and Arlans on February 17.

Mumbai Fighters had earned walk-over against the Elephants in the away match.

On Friday, the crowd's favourite Uaine Fa will enter the ring in the heavyweight category against Anatolii Antoniuk of Ukraine.

The New Zealand-born Tongan has already made a mark by winning his debut game for the Fighters in the previous match against Dynamo Moscow at the same arena on January 20 and helped the team gain a point with a 2-3 margin of defeat.

"I surprised myself in my debut, to be honest. This time around I am prepared to make it better," Fa said on Thurday.

Line-up (Mumbai Fighters names first): Bantamweight (50-54 kg): Mirbek Sherov (Kyrgyzstan) v Satjapron Jumroensan; Lightweight (57-61 kg): Charly Suarez (Philippines) v Egkachai  Prommaka (Thailand); Middleweight (68-73 kg): Konstantin Snigour (Israel) v Troy Trevor O'Meley (Australia); Light Heavyweight (80-85 kg): Leanid Charnabayeu (Belarus) v Sergei Kuzmin (Russia); Heavyweight (+91 kg): Uaine Fa (New Zealand) v Anatolii Antoniuk (Ukraine).