Seven boxers including Kodituwakku, Bandara and Saparamadu defended their titles in the Clifford Cup in Colombo

Following the 77th edition of the Layton Cup the traditional Clifford Cup was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The new edition of the Clifford Cup was hosted 92nd times in Sri Lanka which competition is one of the oldest ones in the whole Asian continent. Among the 19 titleholders of the Clifford Cup seven boxers remained in the top of the podium including their Commonwealth Games bronze medallists as veteran female star Anusha Dilrukshi Kodituwakku and Seneviratne Bandara.
The Sri Lankan female boxers have been preparing to the upcoming AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and together with their best male hopes also to the 2019 South Asian Games which will be taking place in Kathmandu, Nepal next March. The 92nd Clifford Cup was a selection competition for the upcoming main international events therefore almost all of their best boxers attended in the competition.
Athwuda Achchilage Kosala Nilmini attended in the last edition of the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships and she competed at the light flyweight (48kg) once again in the Clifford Cup. The experienced Sri Lankan boxer had a tough semi-final against Nadeeka Pushpakumari but after that bout she was more impressive in the final against R.K.A.A. Ranasingha.
Sri Lanka’s best woman boxer Anusha Dilrukshi Kodituwakku finally claimed a bronze medal in a big event at the Commonwealth Games this April before her 40th birthday. The Sri Lankan veteran had to meet with a boxer from the next generation H.S. Priyadarshani but Koditwakku’s routine dominated their final fight at the flyweight (51kg).
Muthuthanthri Sajeewani Cooray claimed the gold medal in the last edition of the Layton Cup, Clifford Cup and Sri Lankan Women’s National Championships therefore her next success was not a surprise. The 28-year-old bantamweight (54kg) boxer defeated her main rival H.N.S. Thalgaspitiya in the final of the next edition of the Clifford Cup.
Pitigala K. Sumudu is a veteran woman boxer in Sri Lanka who joined to the national team in the last decade but she is still active and won her next title at the Layton Cup and in the Clifford Cup. Sri Lanka’s younger women boxers such as I.W.S.S. Chandrasekara (75kg) and G.D.M.H. Jayadewa (81kg) both won the Clifford Cup following their gold medals in the Layton Cup.
Sri Lanka’s Army boxer Seneviratne Bandara claimed bronze medal at the men’s flyweight (52kg) in the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games and he dominated all of his recent national events. The 27-year-old boxer was too smart for Air Force’s P.G.E. Madushan and celebrated his next gold medal at the Clifford Cup.
Another Army boxer Ruwan Thilina Weerakoddi, who attended already in the Baku 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships, and claimed silver medal in the 2016 South Asian Games, returned in the national level with a gold medal at the Layton Cup a few weeks ago. Weerakoddi eliminated the Seed No.1 U.N.K. Amarawansa in the semi-final of the bantamweight (56kg) and walked over to his next title.
Record number of 20 boxers attended in the men’s light welterweight (64kg) where Dinidu Dushan Saparamadu of Slimline arrived as the main favourite. He is the best Sri Lankan man boxer who qualified for the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships as well and he is member of the national team since 2014. The 26-year-old Saparamadu had to do his very best to beat R.W.M.S.B. Rajakaruna in the final but his hand was raised after the last gong.
Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games competitor Pathirage Don Dinesh Maduranga and ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships participant Sisira Gedara Kumarasinghe attended at the men’s welterweight (69kg) but this time the title was won by Slimline’s Doha International Tournament bronze medallist 27-year-old Niel Madushanka Hettiarachchi in the Clifford Cup.
ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships competitor Addurakaram Rallage Eranda Thilakarathne of Army lost to Doha International Tournament silver medallist Lahiru Tharanga Rathnadiwakara several times during his career but he did revenge in the new Layton Cup a few weeks ago. Slimline’s Rathnadiwakara was more prepared this time and won the title of the super heavyweight (+91kg) after beating Thilakarathne.

List of the winners in the Clifford Cup
Women’s 48kg: Athwuda Achchilage Kosala Nilmini
Women’s 51kg: Anusha Dilrukshi Kodituwakku
Women’s 54kg: Muthuthanthri Sajeewani Cooray
Women’s 57kg: H.N.S. Hansika
Women’s 60kg: K.A.D. Dharmathilaka
Women’s 64kg: A.M.P. Athapaththu
Women’s 69kg: Pitigala K. Sumudu
Women’s 75kg: I.W.S.S. Chandrasekara
Women’s 81kg: G.D.M.H. Jayadewa
Men’s 49kg: Wijesekera Arachchilage Charith Indika Perera
Men’s 52kg: Ishan Ranjeewa Seneviratne Bandara
Men’s 56kg: Ruwan Thilina Weerakoddi
Men’s 60kg: K.A.S.B. Jayampathi
Men’s 64kg: Dinidu Dushan Saparamadu
Men’s 69kg: Niel Madushanka Hettiarachchi
Men’s 75kg: M.S. Jeewantha
Men’s 81kg: Gallage Ajith Nevil Fernando
Men’s 91kg: B. Nuwan Sanjeeva Sampath
Men’s +91kg: Lahiru Tharanga Rathnadiwakara

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