Surprises in the 76th edition of the Layton Cup

The annual Layton Cup was held in the Royal MAS Arena in Colombo which was the 76th edition in the history of the event. Several surprises were delivered by the younger generation of the Sri Lankan boxing in the Layton Cup and some of their stars were lost their semi-finals and finals in Colombo.
President of the Sri Lankan Boxing Federation Mr. Dian Gomes and Sri Lanka’s international official Mr. Hemantha Weerasinghe are the engines to develop boxing in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka qualified one boxer to the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships which was a sensational performance from the developing country.
Sri Lanka’s best female boxer Kosala Nilmini dominated all of her contests in the Layton Cup in Colombo and defeated her main rivals such as Nadeeja Pushpakumari in the semi-final and Commonwealth Games quarter-finalist Kaluhath Erandi Gimhani De Silva in the final of the light flyweight (48kg). Nilmini has been preparing to the upcoming ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships which will be held in Ho Chi Minh City.
Dulani Anuradha Jayasinghe is an experienced woman boxer in Sri Lanka who competed in the last edition of the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships as well therefore her gold at the flyweight (51kg) was not a surprise. Another international boxer Muthuthanthri Sajeewani Cooray controlled her final at the women’s bantamweight (54kg) and defeated her main rival Sewandhi Thalgaspitiya.
Keshani Hansika is Sri Lanka’s national team member since 2012 and she competed in several international competitions but she lost to young B.D.R. Mendis in the final of the featherweight (57kg) which was a big sensation in the Layton Cup. Borala Liyanage Sadareka is also an experienced international boxer but she also lost her final in the Layton Cup to a younger opponent Lankapurayalage Krismi Ayoma Dharmatilake.
Ahangama-based Galbokka Hewage Thanuja Nilakshi Dharmasena, veteran Pitigala Sumudu and South Asian Games silver medallist Andaraweera Arachchige Nilanthi were the further key boxers in the women part of the Layton Cup. Nilanthi moved up to the light heavyweight (81kg) in the recent months and defeated G.D.M.H. Jayadewa in the final while Pitigala Sumudu shocked ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships bronze medallist Dapana Durage Shiromala Weerarathna at the middleweight (75kg).
Thiwanka Sandaruwan Ranasinghe won his opening contest in the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Tashkent where he lost to only Uzbekistan’s Olympic Champion Hasanboy Dusmatov in a close bout. Ranasinghe defeated Sanjeeva Nuwan in the semi-final and controlled his final against R.M.P. Dharmasena at the light flyweight (49kg) in the Layton Cup.
The flyweight (52kg) delivered fabulous fights in the Layton Cup where 24-year-old Gadra Roshan Indika Warnasuriya was able to beat Muthukurage Malith Prabashwara in a hectic gold medal bout. The bantamweight (56kg) gold medal went to U.G.N.K. Amarawansa who knocked out South Asian Games silver medallist Ruwan Thilina Weerakoddi in the last four and Athuwulage Kasun Maduranga in the final.
Naiduralage Gayan Sanjeeva Jayaweera has been dominating the men’s lightweight (60kg) in Sri Lanka therefore his success over Vimukthi Kumara was not a surprise. In the absence of Sri Lanka’s best man boxer Dinidu Saparamadu, R.W.M.S.B. Rajakaruna won the title of the light welterweight (64kg) in the Layton Cup after beating Udaya Kumara.
Ruwangala Gedara Sisira Kumarasinghe is a veteran and strong boxer in Sri Lanka who competed all of the main international events excluding the Olympic Games but he suffered an unexpected loss in the final of the welterweight (69kg) to Asanka Rajapaksha. Gallage Ajith Nevil Fernando and Jayaweera Patabendige Namal Nishshanka Jayaweera dominated their finals while Sri Lanka’s new super heavyweight (+91kg) sensation M.W.M.M. Meegasthenna defeated the two favourites such as international boxers Lahiru Tharanga Rathnadiwakara and Addurakaram Rallage Eranda Thilakarathne.

List of the winners in the Layton Cup
Women’s 48kg: Athwuda Achchilage Kosala Nilmini
Women’s 51kg: Dulani Anuradha Jayasinghe
Women’s 54kg: Muthuthanthri Sajeewani Cooray
Women’s 57kg: B.D.R. Mendis
Women’s 60kg: Lankapurayalage Krismi Ayoma Dharmatilake
Women’s 64kg: L. Udyangani
Women’s 69kg: Galbokka Hewage Thanuja Nilakshi Dharmasena
Women’s 75kg: Pitigala Sumudu
Women’s 81kg: Andaraweera Arachchige Nilanthi
Men’s 49kg: Thiwanka Sandaruwan Ranasinghe
Men’s 52kg: Gadra Roshan Indika Warnasuriya
Men’s 56kg: U.G.N.K. Amarawansa
Men’s 60kg: Naiduralage Gayan Sanjeeva Jayaweera
Men’s 64kg: R.W.M.S.B. Rajakaruna
Men’s 69kg: Asanka Rajapaksha
Men’s 75kg: D.L.P.R. Kumara
Men’s 81kg: Gallage Ajith Nevil Fernando
Men’s 91kg: Jayaweera Patabendige Namal Nishshanka Jayaweera
Men’s +91kg: M.W.M.M. Meegasthenna