Sports

Slimline’s S.I. Kumara emerged the best boxer at the LaytonCup boxing meet which concluded at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday.Kumara won the title for the second successive year while Jayantha Kumara was adjudged the best loser.

The final day of the Layton Cup boxing meet was dominated by Army boxers who won six of the 11 finals as against four winners from Slimline BC. The Army pugilists began their winning spree by taking the Super Heavyweight Under 91kgs bout through M.I. Hansar who outfoxed his opponent in a closely contested bout by 12-11. In the second fight of the day, which was the Heavyweight Under 91kgs, D.R.P. Dissanayake of Carey BC put in superlative show to win with ease by 16-6. Army then had two successive wins with L.H.P.S. Weeratunge and P.R.D.A. Fernando winning the Light Heavyweight Under 81kgs and Middleweight Under 75kgs respectively.

Slimline BC had their first winner when S.I. Kumara got the better of W.M.C.S. Perera of Police in the Welterweight Under 69kgs bout. Army’s A.G.N. Bandara pulled off an upset victory over seasoned and experienced fighter W.M.R. Wekadapola by taking the Light Welterweight Under 64kgs encounter. Though it was a close fight at the end of the second with both boxers on 11 points each Bandara went ahead in the next two rounds to win by 24-18.

The Lightweight Under 60kgs bout went Army’s W.R.G.G. Welikala and Slimline’s A.K.G.K. Sameera received a walk over in the Featherweight Under 57kg bout as his opponent was absent at the weigh-in.

It was an easy win for M.D.K. Wanniarachchi of Slimline as he took his pet event the Bantamweight Under 54 by over 20 points while T.B. Harsha Kumara also of Slimline emerged the winner of the Flyweight Under 51kg bout. Army ended the day’s proceeding on a winning note with T.M.C. Tennakoon taking the Light Flyweight Under 48 bout.

Earlier in the day the Women’s Layton Cup boxing meet which was conducted for the first time saw S. Gallage of Police emerge as the best boxer while Slimline’s G.M. Tharanga de Silva was adjudged the best loser. In the women’s category Unichela BC had three wins through S.A.N. Weeraratne, K.S. Maduwanthi and A.A. Nilanthi. Police came out with two winners through J. Rajakaruna and S. Gallage while Slimline and Army had one winner each through. A.A.K. Nilmini and U.D.Abeytunge.