The 82nd Layton Cup Boxing Championship, organised by the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), kicked off in grand style on Tuesday (1), at the Royal MAS Arena, featuring 12 exciting bouts.
With nearly 150 top-tier male and female boxers from the Tri-Services, Police, and various affiliated clubs participating, the competition marks the first major event of the new season.
This year’s Layton Cup has sparked exceptional interest, particularly due to the semifinals and finals being staged on the beaches of Negombo for the first time, on 4 and 5 October.
Additionally, the championship will serve as trials for the formation of a National boxing pool, a process that has not taken place in eight years.
This initiative is part of the BASL’s ambitious development programme led by its President Dr. Anuruddha Bandara.
“Our ultimate goal is to send three or four boxers to the 2028 Olympic Games,” emphasised Dr. Bandara while addressing coaches, referees, and judges during the event.
Elected as the BASL President just four months ago, Bandara – also serving as Honorary Consul General in Guinea – has ushered in a new era for Sri Lankan boxing.
A former boxer himself, Bandara explained the decision to hold the Layton Cup finals in Negombo as part of a broader effort to elevate the sport beyond its traditional confines.
“Having competed myself, I understand athletes’ aspirations. We want to raise boxing’s profile by hosting tournaments across the island,” he said, adding that the Clifford Cup will take place in Kandy and the National Championships in Galle later this year.
“We aim to elevate boxing in Sri Lanka and highlight the remarkable talent we possess. Corporates need to recognise that boxing is just as significant as cricket, athletics, or rugby,” said Bandara, pointing to recent international success with Sri Lankan boxers winning medals in Seychelles and Chinese Taipei.
The BASL is committed to professionalising the sport, with a focus on raising coaching, refereeing, and judging standards to international levels, ensuring transparency in the selection process. “Selections will be based on merit, not favouritism. Whether a boxer is from Royal, S. Thomas’, Army, or Navy doesn’t matter. We will choose the best talent for tours, regardless of weight class,” Bandara assured, as he discussed plans to send a full team to the Asian Elite Championship in Jordan next month.
He also revealed that Sri Lanka is in the running to host the Asian Under-22 Boxing Championships next year, a move he believes will further elevate the sport’s status in the country.
The opening day of the Layton Cup saw impressive performances, particularly from four-time Stubbs Shield winner THN Jinadasa from Dharmaraja College, Kandy, now representing the Police.
Jinadasa, a silver medallist at last year’s Nationals, showcased excellent technique in his Minimum weight (46-48 kg) bout, outpointing Navy’s GKGWU Kumara with a masterful display of southpaw precision.
In the women’s division, last year’s most scientific boxer, Ishara Thushari Perera, impressed once again.
Competing at Light Fly (48-50 kg), Perera, a mother of three, dominated MDK Devindi from Hanwella Rajasinghe Boxing Club with her superior reach and precision, having dropped down from 57kg to her natural weight class.
Other standout performances included Navy’s EWA Sadaruwan, who won a narrow split decision in the Featherweight (54-57 kg) division, and Army’s WPSK Ranasinghe, who delivered a stunning first-round knockout in the Heavyweight (86-92 kg) category.
With high-level competition and the anticipation of further breakthroughs, this year’s Layton Cup has set the stage for an exciting future for Sri Lankan boxing.