By Dhammika Ratnaweera
Sri Lanka Army coached by Sampath Jayatilleke dominated the Men’s division, winning seven gold medals out of the 10 weight categories while Slimline Boxing Club had three winners at the 79th Layton Cup Boxing Tournament at the Royal MAS Arena recently.
In the women’s division, Unichela boxers swept the podium by winning eight gold medals up for grabs while Police BC won one. Indonesian President’s Cup bronze medalist Keshani Hansika of Unichela BC showed her class by outpointing veteran Army pugilist L.G. Chandrika to earn a unanimous decision in the Lightweight (60kg) and also coveted Best Boxer award.
Light Welter (64kg) national champion Dinidu Saparamadu of Slimline captured the headlines in the first four days of the competition, with his power-packed performances but ran out of steam in the final against a tough Policeman Dananjaya Weerasinghe who fought back despite being floored twice in the first round. Saparamadu has been a regular representative for Sri Lanka at international level since 2014, having qualified to compete at the World Championships and been at two Commonwealth Games as well.
Meanwhile, the Layton Cup was awarded to the most scientific boxer of the tournament returned to the Army after a decade as Light Fly (49kg) national champion M.P.G. Sanjeewa Nuwan gave a masterclass in ringcraft to a four-time Stubbs’ champion 21-year-old Hasitha Nuwan Jinadasa of Slimline in a thrilling finale. Hailing from Kekirawa in Anuradhapura, 27-year-old Sanjeewa Nuwan, a Corporal in the Armoured Corps of the Sri Lanka Army, provided the silver lining in a tournament which was highly competitive attracting 118 men and 34 women pugilists from 18 clubs
Dian Gomes the President of the Boxing Association was the Chief Guest and gave away the awards
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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