Clifford Cup Boxing from December 5 to 9

The 91st Annual Clifford Cup Boxing Championships will be held from December 5 to 9, 2017 at Royal Arena, Colombo. A total of 164 Men & Women Boxers have already been registered for this five day tournament.

This annual tournament inaugurated way back in 1927, the Inter Club competition in the pre-independence era was dominated by British services. The post Independence years was dominated by Ceylon/Sri lanka Army.

The soldiers have been Champions on 35 occasions Including five times as joint.champions. Army’s dominance however has been seriously challenged in the 21st Century, with the entry of Slimline Boxing Club Into the sport in 2000.

The MAS-affiliated Club, the brain child of Dian Gomes has won eight of the 16 Clifford Cup competitions in the new century.

Clifford Cup championship included a competition for women in 2010 and Clubs from MAS have reigned supreme, with MAS Southern BC being Champions From 2010 to 2015 while Stable mate Unichela BC took the title last year.

This meet will be graced by Sumith Liyanage, an Olympic Boxer and former Deputy Inspector General of Police on the last day of the Championship.

The main attractions among men will be Thiwanka Ranasinghe of Hela Boxing Club and Dinidu Saparamadu of Slimline Boxing Club. Among women Anusha Kodituwakku is the main attraction.

Thiwanka has won a Gold medal in the Montana Belt International tournament in France and Eimdhoven International in Netherlands as well, Silver Medalist in the Golden Gloves tournament in Serbia.

Thiwanka will compete in the 49 KG weight class. Dinidu of Slimline BC qualified for World Boxing championship in Germany this year after securing the 5th place at the Asian Championship held in Uzbekistan, has won 3 Gold Medals at the Taipei City Club in Taiwan this year. Dinidu is competing in the 64 KG weight class.

Anusha Kodituwakku makes a come back to the ring after two years of retirement. A Gold medalist at the 2009 womens International Meet held in Moscow and she won a Bronze at the 2005 Asian Championship. Anusha is Representing Unichela Boxing Club. Kosala Nilmini is also an outstanding woman boxer and competing in the women’s Light fly weight category.