Slimline go away with Clifford Cup

Chathuranga Best Boxer:

Chris Dhambarage

Slimline BC with a total of 25 points edged out the defending champions Sri Lanka Army BC to regain the Clifford Cup while winning four bouts on the final day of the annual meet organised by the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka and worked off at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium courts yesterday.

However the best boxers award went to G. W. I. Chaturanga of Royal BC who put up a fine performance to beat S. A. M. Chandrasekera of Sri Lanka Army BC in the light fly weight under 48 kgs weight class final.

Slimline BC also produced the best loser of the meet in the form of D. L. Kahatapitiya who put up a spirited performance before going down to the national champion K. K. Jayasundera of Sri Lanka Navy BC on points in the light weight under 60 kgs weight class final.

In fact Jayasundera’s success had great significance because he was battling against heavy odds having injured his left eye during the previous day of the meet. The bout ended in a tie with both boxers collecting 26 points each. However Jayasundera managed to edge out his opponent on the average scores collecting 61 points to 49 points.

Sri Lanka Army BC had to be satisfied with the runners up position in the overall standings with a total of 24 points while Sri Lanka Navy BC (13 points) and Sri Lanka Air Force BC (11 points) were placed third and fourth respectively.

Earlier W. S. Santhika of Sri Lanka Police BC won the best boxers award in the women’s category following a splendid performance in the bantam weight under 54 kgs weight class final.

She edged out Nadeeka Ekanayake of MAS Southern ‘A’ team on points 35-27 after a close encounter. In fact Ekanayake was rewarded for her superb effort and was named as the best loser in the women’s category.

In another close bout S. A. N. Weeraratne of Slimline BC had the better of K. H. E. G. de Silva on points 17-14 in the fly weight under 50 kgs weight class event final.

In contrast P. K. Sumudu of Sri Lanka Army BC outclassed her opponent S. M. N. Senanayake of Slimline BC on points by a convincing margin of 33-18 in the light welter weight under 63 kgs weight class event final.

In another completely one sided bout S. D. Karunaratne of Sri Lanka Army BC had the better of B. I. Padmamali of MAS Southern ‘A’ team on points 18-4 in the feather weight under 57 kgs weight class final.

In addition A. A. Nilanthi of Sintesi BC outscored B. G. C. Tharangani of MAS Southern ‘B’ team on points 11-0 with the referee deciding to stop the contest during the second round of the light heavy weight under 80 kgs weight class final.

G. L. A. Madushanthi of MAS Southern ‘A’ also outscored her opponent Yamuna Kumari from MAS Southern ‘B’ team with the referee deciding to stop the contest during round one of the light middle weight under 70 kgs weight class final.

Meanwhile L. G. Chandrika from Sri Lanka Army BC took the pin weight under 46 kgs weight class title while outscoring her opponent K. L. Niroshan of Seevali BC with the referee deciding to stop the contest during round one.

M. M. M. Susanthi of Sri Lanka Army BC won the light weight under 60 kgs weight class title uncontested while A. Kodituwakkku of Slimline BC took the light fly weight under 48 kgs weight class title also uncontested. The President of the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka and Member Interim Committee Sri Lanka Cricket Dian Gomes was the chief guest and distributed the awards.