Six Lankan boxers in quarter finals of ASBC Asian Elite Meet

Sri Lanka made a challenging yet promising start while the team faced two early losses, a favourable draw has boosted hopes for medals, with six boxers advancing directly to the quarter finals at the ongoing ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships at the Maejo University Stadium in Chiang Mai, Thaialnd.

The official draw on Friday brought good fortune, placing four male and two female athletes in quarter final bouts without having to compete in the preliminary rounds. Among the men, middleweight Yazmin Mohommed Usaith will meet Chinese Taipei’s Liu Cheng Eng on December 4, while bantamweight Ravindu Jayanath Kumara and light flyweight Hasitha Nuwan Jinadasa await their opponents. Flyweight Godakandalage Pasindu Umayanga Mihiran will fight Malaysia’s Muhammad Abdul Qayyam for a semi final spot.

In the women’s category, featherweight Kasturi Arachchige Keshani Hansika and minimum weight Nadeeka Pushpakumari Ranasinghe also advanced directly. Ranasinghe faces Vietnam’s Ngo Ngoc Linh Chi in a bid for a medal.

Other Sri Lankan boxers face preliminary challenges. Men’s featherweight Podi Arachchige Rukmal Prasanna is set to battle Turkmenistan’s Muhanaov Dovlet. On the women’s side, flyweight Hanwellage Sanduni Priyadarshani takes on Ukraine’s Umansika Svitlana, while light flyweight Ishara Thushari Perera meets Chiu Ching Yu of Chinese Taipei.

Despite losses on the opening day, Payagala Sellage Pathum Suranga Fernando and Chinthana Udaya Kumara displayed determination. Fernando, a welterweight contender, gave a spirited performance against Turkmenistan’s Saparmyrat Odayev but was ultimately outclassed by the experienced former youth silver medallist.

In the light middleweight division, veteran Chinthana Udaya Kumara faced Ukraine’s Bozorboy Matyakubov. Kumara showed resilience despite two standing counts, countering with aggressive combinations. However, Matyakubov’s technical precision secured a dominant win.

Looking ahead, Sri Lanka Army’s national champion Yagamage Sithija Prathap Sudamma will compete in the light heavyweight division against Ukraine’s Sapun Ivan on Day 2.

The tournament opened with a colorful ceremony, led by ASBC President Pichai Chunhavajira, featuring cultural performances and welcoming boxers from 21 nations, including powerhouses China, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.

 Source:Daily News