Army's P.K. Sumudu creates upset beats Slimline's Nilmini Jayasinghe

by S.M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Cor.

BOXING WOMEN: Sri Lanka Army's thirty-two-year-old P.K. Sumudu from the rural area in the outskirts of Matugama created one of the biggest upsets in recent years by defeating the hitherto unbeaten Nilmini Jayasinghe of MAS Slimline at the women's championship of the Clifford Cup Boxing Meet organised by the Amateur Boxing Association and sponsored by MAS Holdings and held at the Linea Gymnasium at the Pallekele Industrial Park.

It was the semi-final and national boxer and Olympic hopeful Nilmini Jayasinghe had upgraded herself from the 54 kilogramme category to the under 60 kilogramme Middle Weight category but despite fighting in a new weight category, she was yet the favourite blessed with skills and footwork.

But the village lass Sumudu upset her with a better reach and a flurry of punches to triumph on points.

Nilmini Jayasinghe had been winner at the Clifford Cup from 2006 in the under 51 kg. and under 54 kg. classes and this was the first time she was fighting in the under 60 kg. weight class. Nilmini Jayasinghe, one of the best boxers in the local boxing scene, who had won a gold at Vietnam and also at the World Women's Invitation Boxing Championship in Russia, had a world ranking of 18.

Village lass Sumudu took to boxing around ten years ago and it was sheer hard work and perseverance which had helped her to success. She had represented the country four times during this period and had succeeded in winning a silver and bronze during this period. She went on to win her class at the ABA Boxing Championship defeating S.M.I.B. Samarakoon of MAS Thurulie getting a 11-7 decision.