Poor standard of boxing worries great admirers

by Dr. L.P.V.E. Jayaweera

Boxing was introduced to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), by Sir Donald Obeyasekera, who had boxed in England, about a century ago, Later with the assistance of his family members, including his sons, Danton, Frederick and Asoka, he promoted this sport, at YMCA Fort and at Royal College and in the Forces and Police.

Boxing then received only step-motherly treatment from the state, but its popularity increased due to public interest and many colleges and even the University of Ceylon took to this sport in a big way, with the blessings of several British Governors, to name a few. Governor Manning, Governor Layton, Governor Clifford. Subsequently, two private boxing clubs were established, namely Straight Left Boxing Club (SLBC) and Singha Amateur Boxing Club (SABC) in 1940S.

SLBC was under the coach Henry Young and SABC was coached by legendary coach DCA Wickremasinghe, who produced boxers of the calibre of H.P. Jayasooriya, C.P. Jayasooriya, Sunith Liyanage, Mahasen Weliwitigoda and several other National Champions, who even entered University and Medical Colleges, proving the fact that scientific boxing does not affect the scholastic aspect.

The quality of boxing that was imported to Ceylon by Sir Donald Obeyasekera who was called Father of Ceylon Boxing, was quite different from what we see in Sri Lanka today. Boxing was described as the scientific art of self defence.

This definition does not hold good today. It is more appropriate to define today's Boxing as the technique of brutal hitting.

Scientific boxing, vanished from the world boxing about a five decades ago. The basic punch in boxing namely the Straight Left "is never seen in its finest quality at any level of boxing today.

I believe the 100 per cent prefect Straight Left, has about eight main components. What we see in todays Straight Left punch is deficient in many components.

This trend is not confined to Sri Lanka only, it is a global one.

Olympic Boxing used to be the tournament where most scientific boxing was seen, but sadly, even at the last Olympics, I did not see a single 100 per cent perfect straight left. Amateur Boxing when compared to Professional Boxing was always more Scientific.

Mohamed Ali-unscientific as professional

This was clearly seen even in boxers of the calibre of Mohamed Ali who was most scientific when he was an Olympic boxer but was most unscientific when he turned a professional. This was clearly proved by his own famous saying that "I will fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee." Of all the contact games, one basic requirement Scientific Boxing is "balance", for which both feet have always to be in contact with the floor of the ring.

True to his saying, Mohamed Ali was often seen with both his feet above the floor of the ring, gliding like a butterfly. He did this to entertain the audience, as he being the fastest ever professional boxer, could get away safely, flying like a butterfly. We often see amateur boxers of today, initiating this stance, but with disastrous results.

In the past, Sri Lankan boxing was of a very high standard, because they all knew the scientific art of boxing. Many of our boxers then fared well at international levels, though this fact was not known to the public.

About five decades ago boxer Hendricks won the Empire Games title. Albert Perera and Mahasen Welivitigoda were semi-finalists at London ABA Championships, H.P. and C.P. Jayasooriya brothers did well at many international meets H.P. defeated the Olympic semi-finalist soon after Olympics in 1955.

In Singapore University of Ceylon (and Medical Faculty) coached by Derrick Raymond, won the Indo Sri Lanka Boxing Tournament three years consecutively, in late nineteen fiftees.

One of our medical faulty boxers was described in India as the most scientific boxer ever to have taken part in Indo-Sri Lanka Meet. Later Derrick Raymond also coached St. Sylvester's College boxer Malcolm Bulner, who boxed at Olympics.

The quality of our Sri Lankan boxing was evident from the fact that Malcolm Bulner was selected for Olympics in Australia when he migrated there. Karunaratne won a Gold at 5th SAF Games.

Though boxing was not all that scientific, then when we think of Sri Lankan boxing, we should remember with gratitude the legendary coaches such as Danton Obeysekera, D.C.A. Wickremasinghe, Derrick Raymond.

Scientific technique needed to improve boxing

Leslie Hadunge, L.V. Jayaweera, who were very dedicated to this sport. If Sri Lanka hopes to get-back the lost glory of the past boxing, the one and only way, doing it is by teaching our boxers the scientific technique of boxing.

This can only be done by getting the support of our won past boxers who knew this scientific technique of boxing.

This training cannot be got from anywhere in the world today, because the type of scientific boxing that was seen in the past in Sri Lanka, is never seen anywhere, in the world today.

Scientific art of boxing. Is also an art of how a boxer defends a punch. The defensive technique in boxing is equally interesting as scientifically attacking punch.

The basics of boxing are hardly seen even at Sri Lanka National level today.

One of the reasons for boxing to forego its popularity today is this lack of scientific art of boxing. I have been attempting to bring home this fact at the relevant levels, including Boxing Administrators, Ministry of Sports in several publications but without any positive impact at all.

If Sri Lanka hopes to achieve something worthwhile for the future in boxing, then some former boxing greats of Sri Lanka must be coaxed to do some coaching so that the boxers of today will improve.

Dr. L.P.V.E. Jayaweera says he is quite confident that like in the post, it is in boxing that Sri Lanka can win some medals at International sports competitions, provided, training of our boxers is done in the proper manner.

I watched the Clifford Cup Boxing Tournament that was held at Sugathadase Stadium and was shocked to note the poor standard of boxing.

Doctor Jayaweera was somewhat sorry as he did not see a single boxer using a perfect straight left, perhaps these boxers have never seen a 100 per cent perfect straight left, which is the basic punch that is synonymous with boxing Dr. Jayaweera hoped that something will be done to bring back boxing to its former glory soon.