The 83rd ABA Men’s and Women’s Clifford Cup Boxing Championships conducted by the Amateur Boxing Association of Sri Lanka is scheduled to be held from Monday (January 3) to 6 at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. The meet which was due to be held last year was postponed due to the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games which was held in October and November 2010.

The meet will be open to winners and runner-up of Novice, Intermediate, Stubbs Shield and winners of the Junior National Championships. In addition any boxers who previously participated in any major boxing meet conducted by the ABA are eligible to take part and should be over 17 and under 34 years.
Defending champions Army will face stiff opposition from Slimline BC, Navy and Air Force who have in their ranks top pugilists who are capable of putting up a good performance. Other teams that will be in contention are Police, Kalutara DBA, Unichela, MAS Southern, Vidyarathana BC, Silverline, Kingswood BC, Polonnaruwa BA and MAS Sileuta.

Slimline BC is favoured to come out on top in the lower weight category. Last year the best boxer of the meet came from Slimline BC in D.M.T. Dhakshilath. The champion team will receive the Clifford Cup presented by Sir Hugh Charles Clifford in 1927 while the best boxer will receive the H.K. Karunaratne memorial cup.