Best young boxers begin residential training ahead of ASBC Asian U22 and Youth Championships

IN a major step towards preparing for the upcoming ASBC Asian Under-22 and Youth Boxing Championships, the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has commenced a high-performance residential training camp at the Police Training School in Katukurunda.

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The camp, which runs from 18 April to 9 May, features the final 25-member national pool and 12 elite coaches and marks a significant investment in the future of Sri Lankan boxing.

The newly inaugurated, state-of-the-art boxing ring at Katukurunda - built to international standards provides an ideal platform for Sri Lanka's finest young boxers to train under world-class conditions. This marks the first time in over five decades that Sri Lanka will host a tournament of this magnitude, the first major international boxing event since the 1967 Asian Championships held in Colombo.

"We're investing in the future of Sri Lankan boxing, not only for this championship but with an eye on qualifying for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games," said BASL Spokesperson and Asian Tournament Organising Committee Chairman Tharanga Perera. "Despite being a self-funded association, the BASL is planning to provide top-level training, nutrition, and supplements to our athletes during the residential camp in preparation for this major international competition."

The final pool of 25 boxers was selected from an initial 48-member squad following a national selection meet in February and a series of competitive sparring sessions.

The BASL Selection Committee, led by former Sri Lanka youth international F.H. Abdulla Ibunu, meticulously handpicked the most promising young talents from across the island.