The 2006 international calendar kicked off in south Florida on Sunday afternoon as Team USA took on Belarus in the first dual event of the year. The city of North Miami and Mayor Kevin Burns served as outstanding hosts for the event which showcased many of the United States’ top boxers and Belarus’ 2005 World Championships team.

Welterweight Charles Hatley (Dallas, Texas) recorded the upset of the event, winning a crowd-pleaser with 2005 World Championships silver medalist Magomed Nurudinov. The two boxers battled in an exciting action-packed bout to the delight of the North Miami crowd. Hatley stayed with the more experienced Nurudinov all four rounds and turned it on over the second half of the bout. He continued to charge through the third and fourth rounds. The action came to a climax in the fourth round as the two boxers stood in the center of the ring and went toe-to-toe throughout the final two minutes. The crowd was on its feet as Hatley was announced the winner over Nurudinov, winning a 2-1 decision over the World Championshps medalist.

2004 Olympian Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio) took the ring in the second bout of the session, facing off with Belarus’ Bato Munko Vankeyeu. Warren began showcasing his lightning-fast hand speed early in the bout, throwing several quick, accurate combinations. Warren landed at will and despite small lapses of inactivity, continued to dominate the bout through the midway point in the action. Vankeyeu attempted to hold Warren to avoid the crisp combinations resulting in the visiting boxer’s disqualification at the :36 mark in the fourth round of action.

Featherweight Mark Davis (Cleveland, Ohio) was the fourth U.S. boxer to take the ring as he faced off Sergey Kunitsyn of Belarus. Davis regained the Team USA’s momentum in his match-up, landing hard, accurate shots early and the bout. Despite having two points taken from the Belarusian official, Davis pressed forward and continued to control the four-round bout. He won a 2-1 decision over Kunitsyn to pull the event back to a 2-2 tie.

Ray Robinson (Philadelphia, Pa.) battled in the fifth bout of the event, taking on Evgeny Kosmatov (Belarus). Robinson regained the lead for his U.S. team in his lightweight battle with Kosmatov. Robinson utilized outstanding height and boxing skill in the contest, out-boxing Kosmatov in their four round bout. His efforts earned Robinson a 2-1 decision over Kosmatov and gave Team USA its third win of the day.

Light flyweights Roberto Ceron (Doraville, Ga.) and Anton Bekish (Belarus) opened the event with the first bout of the afternoon. The two boxers battled hard throughout the four round contest with momentum continuously swinging between the two boxers. The action reached a fevered pitch in the fourth and final round as the both Ceron and Bekish landed strong, clean shots. The contest was extremely close but Bekish pulled out the 2-1 split decision over Ceron.

David Clark (San Diego, Calif./NMU) took the ring looking to break the 1-1 tie in his bantamweight match-up with Khavazhy Khatsyhau (Belarus). The bout was competitive but messy for all four rounds with Khatsyhau continuously holding and pushing Clark’s head down. Clark continued to charge at his foe but dropped a 2-1 split decision.

The light welterweights took the ring for the sixth bout of the afternoon as Jeremy Bryan (Clifton, N.J.) battled in his second international bout with Belarus’ Andrei Chyruk. After a relatively slow first round, the action picked up over the final three rounds. Bryan landed strong shots in the middle rounds, looking to take his first international win, but Chyruk came out charging in the final round and won a 2-1 split decision.

Marcus Henry (Cockeysville, Md.) stepped in the ring at a new weight class for the USA vs. Belarus Dual, moving down from the heavyweight division to light heavyweight. Henry took on Andrei Miruk (Belarus) in the match-up and a cut to his eye early in the bout gave Miruk the early momentum. Henry attempted to battle through the injury but Miruk held the advantage as the bout went into the fourth round. Henry came out charging hard in the final round, looking to apply the pressure and land the punches needed for a victory. However his comeback fell short and Miruk won a 3-0 decision.

The heavyweights climbed through the ropes for the final and deciding bout of the dual with Adam Willett (Bay Shore, N.Y.) taking on former World Championships medalist Viktar Zuyev (Belarus). Zuyev took the final bout of the afternoon on a fourth round disqualification of Willett.

The two teams will face off in a second dual event on Tuesday, January 31 at Michaels Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, Md.

106 lbs/48 kg: Anton Bekish, BLR, dec. Roberto Ceron, Doraville, Ga./USA, 2-1
112 lbs/51 kg: Rau’shee Warren, Cincinnati, Ohio/USA won on disqualification over Bato-Munko Vanekeyeu, BLR, DQ-4
119 lbs/54 kg: Khavazhy Khatsyhau, BLR, dec. David Clark, San Diego, Calif./USA, 2-1
125 lbs/57 kg: Mark Davis, Cleveland, Ohio/USA dec. Sergey Kunitsyn, BLR, 2-1
132 lbs/60 kg: Ray Robinson, Philadelphia, Pa./USA dec. Evgeny Kosmatov, BLR, 2-1
141 lbs/64 kg: Andrei Chyruk, BLR, dec. Jeremy Bryan, Clifton, N.J./USA, 2-1
152 lbs/69 kg: Charles Hatley, Dallas, Texas/USA dec. Magomed Nurudinov (BLR), 2-1
178 lbs/81 kg: Andrei Miruk, BLR, dec. Marcus Henry (Cockeysville, Md.), 3-0
201 lbs/91 kg: Viktar Zuyev, BLR, won on disqualification of Adam Willett, Bay Shore, N.Y./USA, DQ-4