Sri Lanka's top schoolboy pugilist Ashen Shreemal Thalewalagedara experienced the harsh reality of international boxing as Turkmenistan's Orazbayev Alisher overpowered him in the 37-40kg weight class quarter-final bout in the first ever ASBC Asian Schoolboys Boxing Championships in Kuwait City on Monday.
The 14-year-old Sri Dheerananda College, Pilimathalawa gave Sri Lanka hope of a historic medal after outclassing Kuwait's Omar Alotaibi in the preliminary round on Saturday.
However, Ashen Shreemal found the power of Turkmenistan’s most experienced boxer too hot to handle with the referee intervening to stop the one-sided contest in the first round. Orazbayev spent even less time in the ring than Afghan Mohamad Younus Amiri, a 13-year-old who dominated his fight against UAE's Mohamed Al-Zahmi in the same weight class.
The Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) sent a six-member team for this inaugural tournament as part of their strategy to give international exposure for school level boxers with the aim of developing future champions.
To their credit the Sri Lankan schoolboy pugilists gave a good account of themselves and will no doubt benefit from the experience gained.
Among them were twin brothers from Mahanama Senuka Dulran Weerasinghe and Senula Dulaj Weerasinghe. Senuka Dulran featured in the historic opening bout of the tournament against Philippines’ Joshua Sorillo in the 35-37kg weight class, losing by a split points decision. Sorilla was beaten by India’s Aryan in the last eight round. Senula Dulaj also lost a split points decision 4-1 after tough duel against India’s Harsh, who lost in the quarter-finals to Turkmenistan’s Daniyar Rozmetov in the 33-35kg contest.
Kavindu Madushan Karunasingha, also from Sri Dheerananda College, lost his opening bout in the 43-46kg weight class to Thailand’s Phisit Paochanthuek who won by RSC (referee stopped contest) against Tajikistan’s tall Amirkhon Rustamov in the quarter-final.
Bandaranayake Central College, Veyangoda’s Tehan Sanchith Rayman also gave a tough fight to Vinay Vishwakarma in the 46-49kg weight class.
Peradeniya Central College’s Theja Dewumini Ambulugala Widanage also went down fighting to Jordan's Abdel Hakeem Jarabat in the 40-43kg weight class.
However, besides the top Asian nations Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and India, many of the developing countries such as Afghanistan, Palestine and United Arab Emirates claimed medals in the continental event which attracted 150 boxers from 21 nations.
The ASBC Asian Schoolboys Confederation Boxing Championships is a new milestone in the continent where boxers who were born in 2005 and in 2006 are eligible to compete in the event for the 14 available titles.
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