The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

FOR the second consecutive year, Carl Hield will be heading to the World Series of Boxing.

While the Bahamas is not included in the list of 16 countries divided evenly into two groups of eight, Hield was selected to represent Mexico during the recent draft that featured a total of 48 boxers.

Developed by the International Boxing Association (AIBA), the WSB is a unique concept. It’s the first ever pro-style competition where boxers retain their Olympic Games eligibility and moreover, the first event which sees national-based pro boxing teams go head-to-head in a league format.

Endorsed by nearly 200 national federations, it represents the future of boxing. The WSB marked a new era in the sport of boxing when it launched its first season on November 19, 2010. Since then the league has gone from strength to strength.

Each boxer is drafted by one of the international franchises and can earn money by taking part in the professional-style bouts, but they still maintain their Olympic and SIBA World Championship eligibility to compete in the Olympic Games.

Hield, one of the Bahamas’ prospects for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will be competing for the Mexico Guerroros when the Season V of the WSB gets underway on January 16.

No further details have been released but Mexico will be matched in Group A along with the Russian boxing team, Cuba Domadores, the Ukraine Otamans, Team Germany and the Algeria Desert Hawks.

Among the teams listed in Group B are the Argentina Condors, the Astana Arlans Kazakhstan, WSB, Italia Thunder, USA Knockouts, Azerbijan Baku Fires and Hussars Poland.

There were five new teams that joined this year. They are the China Dragons, Morocco Atlas Lions, Puerto Rico Hurricanes, Venezuela Caciques and the British Lionhearts.

Hield has returned to Cuba to continue to train over the next month before he joins his teammates. Before he left, Hield said he was excited about continuing his boxing career at such a high level.

“This is a really big deal for me,” Hield said. “I had a good time competing last year and I’m looking forward to going back after I go to Cuba to get in some more training.”

Wellington Miller, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Bahamas and the president of the Bahamas Olympic Committee, said it’s very significant for the Bahamas to have Hield drafted to compete for the second time. He follows on the heels of Valentino Knowles, who competed the year before.

“Carl will get more fights under his belt because he will get to go to the different countries, travelling as a part of the Mexican team, to compete,” Miller said. “So he will get to go all over the world to compete and get points for his team if he is successful in winning any of his matches.

“He will get an opportunity to box against some of the top boxers around the world. It will be a great experience for him. I believe the experience that he gained in the last WSB has helped him when he competed at the Commonwealth and CAC Games. So I think it will be more beneficial for him when he competes next year.”

Next yeat, Hield will also be moving up to the 75 kiloclass or middleweight which, according to Miller, will only help him in the long run because he will be much stronger than he was at the 69 kg or super welterweight.

“Once again we will have a Bahamian there. The only thing is that he won’t be wearing the Bahamas colours,” Miller said.