Army’s M.P.G. Sajeewa Nuwan and Unichela’s K.A. Keshani Hansika underlined their credentials as the leading pugilists in the country bagging the Best Boxer awards with superlative performances in the finals of the 79th Layton Cup Boxing Championship concluded at the Royal MAS Arena on Saturday.
Organized by the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), 125 men and 37 women entered for this competition from which the final pool for South Asian Games 2019 scheduled to be held in Kathmandu, Nepal from December 1 to 9 would be selected.
A total of 75 bouts, both men and women, were held during the five days of competition which very rarely produced sublime boxing that would have pleased the connoisseurs of the sport, descending to a farcical if not ordinary level at times.
 M.P.G. Sanjeewa Nuwan of Army was adjudged the Best Boxer at the 79th Layton Cup Boxing Meet concluded at Royal MAS Arena on Saturday. |
BASL president Dian Gomes, also a member of the AIBA Women’s Commission and Executive Committee member of the Asian Boxing Confederation, was the chief guest.
Nevertheless the final fight card of 19 produced a thrilling finale as 27-year-old Sanjeewa Nuwan showed that he has come of age since his loss at this same competition last year, dazzling with his ring artistry against a promising 21-year-old Hasitha Nuwan Jinadasa of Slimline in a captivating Light Fly (49kg) final.
Having tamed Indonesian President’s Cup bronze medallist Gayan Indika Bandara in the semifinal, the reigning national champion gave a master class against young Jinadasa who spent of the bout dancing his way out of trouble. Sanjeewa Nuwan stalked his opponent stealthily with nimble footwork never allowing southpaw Jinadasa to get out of his punching range and whipping speedy combinations to the body and face. The soldier displayed a wide repertoire of shots in his armoury, leading with right hands to the body in the second round and dismantling the passive defence of Jinadasa with uppercuts at close range.
A four-time Stubbs champion, Jinadasa found his opponent to be an elusive target to reach whenever he tried to attack, as Sanjeewa Nuwan slipped out of range just enough to counter attack to earn a split 4-1 decision. A Corporal in the Armoured Corps of Sri Lanka Army, the native from Kekirawa in Anuradhapura represented Sri Lanka at the Asian Championships in April after being adjudged the Best Boxer at the Nationals last year. “My goal is to represent Sri Lanka at the 2020 Olympics,” declared Sanjeewa Nuwan, a self-taught boxer, after winning the Layton Cup awarded to the Best Boxer of the meet. Jinadasa was adjudged the Best Loser for his efforts.
Seasoned Sri Lanka campaigner since 2014 Dinidu Saparamadu of Slimline was not in his element during the final of the heavily contested Light Welter (64kg) weight against Police’s Dananjaya Weerasinghe despite flooring the southpaw with two powerful left crosses in the first round. In his haste to go for the kill, the 27-year-old nearly got a taste of his own medicine when Weerasinghe staggered him midway in the second round with an overhand right.
Thereafter Saparamadu, who has represented Sri Lanka at two Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Asian Championships in addition to qualifying for the World Championships, became more conscious of his defence and tying up his opponent who turned aggressor in the second round in clinches. Saparamadu even switched attack using his right jab in the final round which seemed like a battle of survival for both who finally slipped to the canvas in an anti-climax to a thrilling contest between two soutpaws. Saparamadu got the nod of all five judges to win by a unanimous decision.
Army’s Chathuranga Madushanka was unlucky to be at the wrong end of a 3-2 split decision against Slimline’s Niel Hettiarachchi in the Welter (69kg) weight final. The 29-year-old southpaw from Gajaba regiment appeared to dictate the bout, scoring with powerful combinations but lanky Hettiarachchi, another experienced Sri Lanka campaigner got the verdict in his favour.
On the other hand, Army’s Ruwan Tilina Weerakkodi, a silver medallist at the last South Asian Games, and top seed in the Bantam (56kg) weight class, may have been fortunate to win a split 4-1 points decision against Nuwan Amarawansha of Slimline. Weerakkodi, 31, was the aggressor as he swung powerful crosses with both hands not necessarily on the target. Lanky Amarawansha, 23, a two-time Stubbs champion from Peradeniya, tried to outbox his shorter adversary but lacked the footwork to tackle the lunges of Weerakkodi.
Army’s M.E.M. Mudannayake in a rarity for a light heavy weight used his left jab to good effect displaying sound technique to outpoint his rival from Slimline G.G.D.A. Gunasekara.
The biggest upset of the evening came in the Women’s Bantam (54kg) weight final when five-time National champion Sajeewani Cooray of Air Force suffered her first defeat against 24-year-old Harshani Nisansala Sewwandi Thalgaspitiya of Unichela. Cooray, 29, was eager to engage in a scrap with her younger opponent who replied with powerful combinations. The pugnacious lass from Hettipola, Matale took the fight to Cooray who forgot to unleash her feared right uppercut until the last round which came too little too late. She was consoled with the Best Loser’s award after losing a 3-2 split points decisions.
Unichela boxers won seven of the nine women’s weight classes with only Pradeepika Atapattu, a two-time National champion, losing to Police’s B.S.H. Perera in the Welter (64kg) weight class.
Krishmi Ayoma Dharmathilaka and A.A.K. Nilmini, who swept the Best Boxer title in all three national meets in 2010, scored impressive wins over Army opponents as did the Women’s Best Boxer of the meet Keshani Hansika.
A multiple National champion since 2015, 28-year-old Hansika craftily used her height and reach advantage to calmly outbox southpaw L.G. Chandrika, 36, a veteran Sri Lanka boxer. Hansika, who was Best Boxer at the Layton Cup and Nationals in 2016, earned a unanimous decision outgunning Chandrika who kept bobbing and weaving but failed to cut the distance and get into range to cause any damage.
Results Finals
MEN
Light Fly weight (49kg): M.P.G. Sanjeewa Nuwan (Army) bt N. Jinadasa (Slimline) on points 4-1;
Fly weight (52kg): M.R. Sadaruwan (Slimline) bt K.V.L. Eranda (Slimline) 3-2;
Bantam weight (56kg): W.R.T. Weerakkodi (Army) bt U.N. Amarawansha (Slimline) 4-1;
Light weight (60kg): N.B.A.J. Wimukthi Kumara (Army) bt H.A.H.D. Hettiarachchi (Vidyartha BC) 4-1;
Light Welter weight (64kg): P.V.D.D. Saparamadu (Slimline) bt W.D.D. Weerasingha (Police) 5-0;
Welter weight (69kg): H.N.M. Hettiarachchi (Slimline) bt A.K.C. Madushanka (Army Blue) 4-1;
Middle weight (75kg): P.D.D. Maduranga (Army) bt D.L.P.R. Kumara (Navy) 4-1;
Light Heavy weight (81kg): M.E.M. Mudannayake (Army) bt G.G.D.A. Gunasekara (Slimline) 5-0;
Heavy weight (91kg): I.D.D.S.W. Waidyarathna (Army) bt K.G.AP. Jayasena (Army) 5-0;
Super Heavy weight (91+kg): A.R.B.E. Thilakarathna (Army) bt A.W. Hettige (Navy) 5-0;
Best Boxer - M.P.G. Sanjeewa Nuwan (Army); Best Loser - N. Jinadasa (Slimline)
WOMEN
Light Fly weight (48kg): R.K.A.A. Ranasingha (Unichela) bt K.K.I.T. Perera (Air Force) 4-0;
Fly weight (51kg): A.A.K. Nilmini (Unichela) bt H.S. Priyadarshani (Army) 5-0;
Bantam weight (54kg): H.N.S. Thalgaspitiya (Unichela) bt M.P.S.S. Cooray (Air Force) 3-2;
Feather weight (57kg): K.A.D. Dharmathilaka (Unichela) bt M.G.M.T. Dasunika (Army) 5-0;
Light weight (60kg): K.A.K. Hansika (Unichela) bt L.G. Chandrika (Army) 5-0;
Light Welter weight (64kg): B.S.H. Perera (Thurulie) bt A.M.P. Athapathuthu (Unichela) 5-0;
Welter weight (69kg): H.M.K.G.L. Udayangani (Unichela) bt S.H.K. Perera (Police) Referee Stopped Contest round one;
Middle weight (75kg): P.U. Jayasuriya (Police) bt P.M.C.H. Bandara (Police) 5-0;
Light Heavy weight (81kg): I.W.S.S. Chandrasekara (Unichela) bt M.P.P.M. Jayawardhana (Police) 5-0;
Best Boxer - K.A.K. Hansika (Unichela); Best Loser - M.P.S.S. Cooray (Air Force)
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