Astana Arlans Kazakhstan

No other team can boast the kind of consistency that the Astana Arlans have shown since the very first days of WSB competition. The Kazakhstan franchise has never failed to reach at least the semi-final stage of the competition, going on to appear in three finals and winning twice, in Seasons III and V, the first WSB team to do so. Success has not come easily, however, and the Arlans’ reputation as the team to beat is testament to the gritty determination and ability of key team members like Super Heavyweight Ivan Dychko, Flyweight Olzhas Sattibayev and Heavyweight Vassily Levit to pull out top performances when it really matters.

Winner of both the Welterweight Olympic title and the Val Barker award for best boxer at London 2012, Kazakhstan’s Serik Sapiyev is now the general manager of the Astana Arlans WSB franchise. The team is a key part of the Astana Presidential Sports Club, founded by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev to support the city’s sports teams and athletes, including FC Astana, ice hockey team Barys Astana and the Astana Pro Team road cycling outfit.