ASIAN BOXING COMES HOME AFTER 57 YEARS

A new era for Sri Lankan boxing begins as

- By ALLAAM OUSMAN

For the first time in decades, Sri Lanka is stepping into the Asian boxing spotlight with the hosting of the ASBC Asian U22 & Youth Boxing Championships, a signal achievement that marks a bold new chapter in the sport's local history.

This historic feat was ten months in the making, driven by the relentless energy and vision of Anuruddha Shanaka Bandara, President of the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL).

"After 57 years, we took a great initiative to bring this prestigious Asian Boxing Championship to Sri Lanka. This is a landmark moment for us," he declared at a press conference to launch the event.

"I'm happy to introduce our newly elected Secretary Tharanga Perera. I truly appreciate him joining hands with us at such a crucial juncture," he added.

In a sporting landscape where many feared to tread, Bandara dared to dream - and more importantly, dared to deliver. "Everyone told me it was too risky," said Bandara. "But I believed Sri Lanka deserved a moment like this. Boxing should belong to the people-not just to a few."

True to that mission, Bandara broke free from the sport's traditional indoor confines by taking boxing outdoors to the beaches of Negombo and the public promenade at Galle Face Green, thrilling crowds and reigniting public passion for the fight game. These pioneering events laid the foundation for the grandest of them all: the Asian championship on home soil.

"We wanted to reconnect the sport with the masses. Those open-air events showed us that the public still loves boxing. That gave us confidence," said Bandara on staging major championships such as Layton Cup, Clifford Cup and the Nationals outdoors.