The long awaited 85th Boxing National Championship tournament for 2011, organized by the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (ABASL), will be held from 11th to 14th January 2012 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, Kotahena, commencing at 3pm on each day.
The men’s bouts will start on the 11thJan and women’s boxing will begin on the 12th Jan. In order to cater to the large number of entries anticipated, the boxing matches will be held on 2 rings simultaneously. The evidence of Boxing becoming a popular sport in Sri Lanka can be measured by the increase in entries for National Championship. The Championships has attracted over 110 men and 52 women contestants from many boxing clubs in the country.
The ABA of Ceylon was formed in 1926 and the inaugural National Championship was conducted in the same year. Prior to that, another boxing championship was held for the benefit of the three Armed Forces since the beginning of 20th century and had been organized by the United Services Boxing Association of Ceylon (USBAC). According to the rules and regulations at the time, a Boxer could enter the competition independently or represent a club, the Armed Service or a Govt. Department. A Boxer could also compete in more than one weight. In addition, there are very competent female Boxers who have made their mark even at International levels sinceyear 2000.
In 2010, SN Heelbathdeniya of the Slimline Boxing Club was adjudged the Most Outstanding Boxer of the year and best loser award was won by RGS Kumarasinghe of Navy. SDNS Karunarathna of Army emerged as the Best Boxer and SMN Senanayake of MAS Southern won the Best Loser award.
The records available since 1954 state that, the Army had dominated at the Nationals. They had won the Championship outright on 31 occasions and also shared one Championship with the Pee Vee Club of Slave Island. The Police had won the Championships six times and the Slimline Boxing Club, Pannala has won five timesand are the reigning Champions. Colombo YMCA had won 4 times and had shared one victory with the Navy. Navy had won 3 times and shared once. The St. Michael’s Club,Polwatte and Taj Boxing Club had won one each.
Records are available only from 1953 and we can only guess the winners of the various awards from 1926 to 1953. Currently there are four awards to be won at the National Boxing Championships. The Sgt. E.S. Selvadurai Memorial Challenge Cup (Lotus flower shaped) awarded to the Most Successful Club since 1954. The Sir Henry William Manning Challenge Cup Awarded to the Most Scientific Boxer of the meet since 1926. It is also recorded that this cup had been awarded at the Inter Services Championship from 1923 to 1925. The Muttiah Xavier Roche Memorial Challenge Cup which is awarded to the Most Successful Club of the year since 1954 and the Donald Munesinghe Challenge Cup which is awarded to the Best Loser of the Meet since 1992.
The high standard in Inter School Championships for the Sir R. Edward Stubbs Shield had enabled the winners in the senior weight category to be bold enough to enter and win at the Nationals. Some such champions were M.T. Swangsa, Albert Perera, T.M.S.Samidon, M.S.M. Ickram of Zahira College Maradana, Dharmasiri Weerakoon of Christin College,Kotte, Malcolm Bulner of St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy, Winston and brothers Geoffery Van Culeberg, M Jaroof, H.M. Marzookand T.J.I Ismail of St. Michael’s College,Polwatte, twins, D.S. and D.J. Nittikuumar and W.M. Chitrananda of St. Mathews College,Dematagoda, N.B. Walisundera, R.M.U. Bandara, Manju Wanniarachchi of Vidyartha College, Kandy, Anuruddha Rathnayaka of Peradeniya Central College and K.A.C.N. Alexander of Seevali Central College,Rathnapura.
The Slimline Boxing Club, Pannala is considered the strongest team to enter the Nationals this year. The2011 Clifford Cup was won by the Army as a result of their strongest competition, the best Boxers of the Slimline Boxing Club being at the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International meet in Pakistan. Therefore the Army Boxers after their win at the Clifford Cup Championship will be the strongest rival to the Slimline Boxing Club with the Navy and Police Clubs also giving stiff competition to both the Army and Slimline Teams.
The 85th National Boxing Championship’s will conclude on Saturday 14th January and the Hon. Minister of Sports, Mahindanda Aluthgamage is expected to grace the occasion during the final bouts and awards presentation among other distinguished guests. Boxing stalwarts such as Dian Gomes and the sponsors of this event A &E and MAS who have inspired many talented pugilists to focus on their training and reach world standards are commended as the fruits of their labour becomes apparent with the great many entries expected at this meet in comparison to previous years. The resources for Boxing in rural Sri Lanka have been enhanced and coaching standards increased as well as entries to International Meets have become frequent. This in turn has enabled the young Boxers of Sri Lanka to forge ahead and reach international standards in their respective weight categories.
This meet will be the deciding meet, on entries for women pugilists from Sri Lanka to the Asian Women Boxing Championships scheduled to be held in Mongolia in this year where we can be hopeful of winning medals.
