Sri Lanka Army made a striking statement in the boxing arena, seizing victory in all five men’s events at the inaugural Lanka Fight League (LFL) Boxing Tournament 2024. Held at the Royal College Boxing Ring in Colombo on Saturday night, the tournament featured international-standard boxing and offered lucrative cash prizes for the champions.
Navy’s AMTS Adhikari (Blue) confronts PSPS Prasanna of Army (Red) in the 67kg Welterweight bout.
In a fierce bout in the 75kg Middleweight category, last year’s National Champions Best Boxer, KG Pathmasiri, fought against WMGKGI Ariyaratne of Sri Lanka Navy. The intense battle gripped the audience’s attention, ending in Pathmasiri’s victory with a score of 4:1.
The 67kg Welterweight category witnessed a thrilling clash between Army’s PSPS Fernando and Navy’s AMTS Adhikari. Fernando, who clinched gold in last year’s national championship, emerged triumphant after a hard-fought bout against Adhikari, who secured silver previously.
In the 57kg Featherweight class, Army’s PAR Prasanna squared off against PGE Madushan in an electrifying match. Both players, with Commonwealth Games experience under their belts, delivered an intense bout, with Army’s Prasanna emerging victorious. Notably, Prasanna is set to compete in the Paris Olympic Qualifying Round in Thailand on May 21.
Among the three women’s bouts, the 48kg Minimum weight category witnessed a fierce contest between Army’s HKNN Perera and Hansella Rajasinghe Boxing Club’s SV Ratnapuli. In a closely contested battle, Ratnapuli emerged victorious with a score of 3-2.
BASL President Dian Gomes presents a cash prize for the Popular Boxer of Social Media, DS Tissarachchi of Back2Fit BC.
The tournament marked a significant milestone for boxing in Sri Lanka, introducing professional-level competition with substantial cash prizes of Rs 50,000/- for the winner and Rs 25,000/- for the runner-up. BASL President Dian Gomes and the federation envision expanding the tournament to a format akin to the LPL in cricket, ushering in a new era for the sport.
A special Rs 20,000 cash award was presented to DH Tissarachchi of Back 2 Fit Boxing Club, who received the most votes on Facebook and Instagram. Featuring eight weight classes, including five men’s and three women’s bouts, the tournament highlighted Sri Lanka Army’s dominance, with Sri Lanka Air Force and Sri Lanka Navy unable to secure any medals.
The tournament’s international-standard organization, spearheaded by BASL
President Dian Gomes and event organizer LFL League, infused the atmosphere with color and excitement, elevating the professional features of the sport. Boxing experts laud the tournament as a significant step towards professional-level boxing in Sri Lanka. With plans to attract foreign players in future editions, the federation aims to boost sports tourism and further enhance the sport’s popularity.
Boxing results:
Men
48kg minumum weight: HMLP Jayawardena (Army) beat DS Tissaraarachchi (Back2Fit BC) by WP 4-1.
54kg Bantamweight: RMP Dharmasena (Army) beat KVL Eranda (Air Force) by WP 5-0.
57kg Featherweight: PAR Prasanna (Army) beat PGE Madushan (Air Force) by 5-0.
67kg Welterweight: PSPS Fernando (Army) beat AMTS Adhikari (Navy) by 5-0.
75kg Middleweight: KG Pathmasiri (Army) beat WMGKGI Ariyaratne (Navy) by WP 4-1.
Women
48kg Minimumweight: SV Rathnapuli (Hanwella Rajasinghe BC) beat HKNN Perera
(Army) by WP 3:2
54kg Bantamweight: LIN Malshani (Air Force) beat RMYDB Menike (Navy) by WP 5:0.
57kg Featherweight: KKIT Perera (Air Force) beat GWGC Tharuka (Police) by WP 5:0.
Sajeewa Jayakody