THE Welsh amateur stars are still without a win in the new season of World Series of Boxing (WSB) after the British Lionhearts lost a tough away fixture 3-2 to the Morocco Atlas Lions in Casablanca on Friday night.

Having been beaten by Junjun He at light-flyweight in the Lionhearts’ 3-2 win over the China Dragons, Ashley Williams lost a unanimous points decision to Zouhair El Bekkali of the Moroccan team on Friday.

Wins by the Scouse duo, Antony Fowler and Sam Maxwell – who both have two wins and no defeats this season – were not enough to prevent a loss for the Lionhearts team.

It was a difficult night in Casablanca against a tough and aggressive Moroccan team who took full advantage of being at home.

The Atlas Lions took first blood in the opening bout of the night as the Moroccan National Champion El Bekkali was too good for Williams in the light-flyweight contest.

Williams showed a greater work rate and troubled the Moroccan with his willingness to go forward however the rangy, El Bekkali, landed the cleaner shots and stifled the Welshman to take the bout on all three scorecards.

The bantamweight contest saw the Moroccan team extend its lead to 2-0 as Mohamed Hamout overcame Qais Ashfaq of the Lionhearts.

A fine performance by Maxwell in the light-welterweight contest pulled one back for the Lionhearts as the man from Liverpool showed skill and power to defeat Hamza El Barbari and secure his second win of the season in WSB.

He was followed into the ring by fellow Liverpudlian Fowler who dominated Said Harnouf in the middleweight contest from the first bell, sending the Moroccan to the canvas three times in the opening two rounds.

The re-opening of a cut to Fowler’s forehead in the second round provided a scare for the Lionhearts but the Commonwealth Games gold medallist showed maturity and superior boxing skills to protect the cut and see out the contest to secure a unanimous victory and even the match at 2-2.

It set-up the possibility of superb comeback by the Lionhearts but the team’s Romanian heavyweight Ionut-Mirel Jitaru was unable to deliver and lost by TKO when he was forced to retire with a shoulder injury and hand the win to Lithuanian Vitalijus Subacius, giving the Atlas Lions a 3-2 victory on the night.

Andrew Selby and St Joseph’s fighter Joe Cordina were both beaten in their first fights in WSB this year when the Lionhearts lost 3-2 to the Ukraine Otamans at the Acco International Exhibition Center in Kiev last week.

And former St Joes star and London 2012 silver medalist Fred Evans, who is fighting for Italia Thunder this year, also lost his first bout last week.

Next up for the Lionhearts is a home match against the Algeria Desert Hawks on Thursday at York Hall in London when Cordina was due to be in action again but he has now been forced to withdraw due to a hand injury.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.ticketsdirect.org.uk/wsboxing priced £10 for adults and £5 for under-16.