Sri Lankan youth boxers managed to steal the spotlight at the ASBC Asian U22 & Youth Boxing Championships held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo.
Cambodia’s Sovann Nea and Saudi Arabia’s Feras Alsubhi met in an intense bout, which was the first fight of day 2. Finally, Alsubhi counter-attacked with technically sound, accurate punches against the wavering attack of the Cambodian to down him in the first round of the minimum weight category (48kg) encounter.
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Sathsara Warnakulasooriya was Sri Lanka’s first boxer in action and managed to beat his opponent, Kyrgyzstan’s Anaraly Anarbekov, comprehensively in the first round of the youth minimum weight category (48kg) game. Sathsara got the better of the opposition from the start of the play with quick right arm jabs, and the referee had to count on the Kyrgyz in the second minute as a result of the continuous powerful punches. Finally, Sathsara won the game with ease and his aggressive style of boxing kept the Sri Lankan spectators on the edge of their seats.
In the third fight, Thathsara Illangasinghe competed with Kazakhstan’s Dossymzhan Tangatar in the preliminary round of the flyweight category (51kg) encounter. The Kazakh was taller than Sri Lanka’s Thathsara and got the reach advantage with his long arm jabs, while Thathsara fought hard with his exceptional footwork and nippy movements. Though Thathsara gave a brave fight by going forward against tall opposition by taking a risk, the Kazakh player got the better of him.
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Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion Aldiyar Bakhadur, who is one of the gold medal favorites in the bantamweight category (54kg), battled against local boy Vidusha Hettiarachchi. From the start, the Royalist boxer Vidusha displayed more aggression and tried to go with powerful punches. But Aldiyar managed to avoid those with a highly technical playing style and managed to outclass the Sri Lankan boxer.
United Arab Emirates’ Bader Saeed Ali Alsedrani took on Kyrgyzstan’s Daniil Bulavkin in the next battle. Though the boxer from the UAE was aggressive in the first round, Kyrgyz Bulavkin counter-attacked magnificently to book his place in the next round.
Experienced youth boxer Kazakhstan’s Nygman Nygmet competed against Australia’s Angus Friswell in the youth featherweight (57kg) category preliminary encounter. Nygmet launched a fierce attack on the opponent to advance in the competition.
In the next bout, Saudi Arabia’s Mohammad Alhaidary confronted Sri Lanka’s electrified boxer Witana Arachchilage Jayathissa in the featherweight category (57kg) battle. Jayathissa kept pressuring the opponent by coming forward all the time, importantly with a safeguard block and finally the Kandyan boy outclassed the Saudi Arabian by securing another medal hope.
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The Zahirian player Tuan Aasil Murajudeen, who is another excellent Sri Lankan southpaw, displayed great aggression and great footwork against India’s Mohit in the preliminary round. While the Sri Lankan attempted for a knockout win, the Indian kept counter-attacking. Finally, the Indian boxer had a slight advantage on the judges’ scorecards after three rounds of an exciting fight that kept the crowd on their feet.
Mongolia’s Tengis Amarjargal and Kyrgyzstan’s Erlan Ergeshov confronted in the next youth lightweight (60kg) fight, and the Kyrgyz comprehensively beat his opponent in the first round.
Kazakhstan’s Adilet Tortubek was victorious against Tajikistan’s Zoir Khojabekov in the lightweight category (60kg) fight, which was the final male bout of the day.
In the final bout of the day, India’s Chanchal Kumari confronted Saudi Arabia’s National Champion Alanood Alghamdi in the minimum weight category (48kg), and Kumari’s punches were too good for the Arabian lady.
