White Collar boxing featuring schoolboys, young women and professional fighters was showcased at its best during Fight Night V at the Royal MAS Arena on Saturday.
Combat by Jesh, powered by FitnessFirst.lk, hosted the fifth edition of Fight Night featuring no less than 30 boxing bouts to the delight of a capacity crowd of a thousand fight fans.
The resounding success of Fight Night V has fuelled the dreams of the organisers to conduct franchise based competitions akin to the LPL (Lanka Premier League) in future.
Fight Night also hopes to support the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) to hold professional boxing events as envisioned by the International Boxing Association (IBA).
The event featured five thrilling women’s bouts. For the first time in Sri Lanka, the event also introduced touch boxing for kids aged 3-9, adding a unique and inclusive dimension to the sport. A special inclusive fight highlighted that boxing is for everyone, further broadening the sport’s appeal and inclusivity.
The six main championship belts were won by Kaumini Hashini (Ladies Pink), Malshan Jayasekara (Ultimate Boxer), Abdul Rahuman (Teens), Aazil Murajudeen (Schools), Husni Ahamed (Kickboxing) and Nick Carpenter (MMA) from the UK.
Jayaseera outpointed a top schoolboy pugilist from St Sylvester’s College Muditha Paris in the Light Middle weight under 71kg. Two Zahira College, Maradana boxers were outstanding. Abdul Rahman overwhelmed a 13-year-old MMA fighter Devin Woodey while Murajudeen avenged his loss to Sylvestrian JMT Deshan in a previous meet with an accomplished performance in the Light weight under 60kg.
Another highlight of the evening was Chathu Siriwardena of Hemamali BC, a Youth boxing champion winning the Purple Queen title with a dominant performance over rising star Kalani Herath in the Fly weight under 51kg weight class.
Another top schoolboy pugilist Sylvestrian SPP Angelo knocked out Dananjaya Wijebandara in the Feather weight under 57kg weight class.
The six belt winners were awarded gifts worth Rs. 100,000 each. Every match winner received a gold medal and all participants, along with their coaches, were given certificates as a testament to their efforts and contributions.
Fight Night V brought together 25 clubs and 72 fighters from all around Sri Lanka, showcasing the nation’s best talents. Additionally, the event featured three top international fighters from the USA, UK, and Russia, elevating the competition’s standard.
Russian Oleg scored a technical knockout win over Sanka Manampery of West Coast Boxing Club in the Super Heavy 92+kg weight category.
The success of Fight Night V has set the stage for even bigger events in the future. The organisers announced that the next event, Fight Night VI, will be held on January 18, 2025.
“We are committed to nurturing young talent and creating future champions. This event is a testament to the passion and dedication of everyone involved, from the fighters to the fans,” said Coach Jesh, an MMA fighter.
“Our goal for the coming year is to expand Fight Night and create a model akin to the LPL. Such an endeavor requires substantial investment and we are committed to securing the necessary funding to bring this vision to life. We will continue to support the Boxing Federation and other sports bodies, ensuring that our events contribute to the overall growth of combat sports in Sri Lanka. Our ultimate dream is to pave the way for Sri Lankan athletes to win an Olympic gold in boxing,” said Akila Alles, Director of Fight Night.
“The support from the Sri Lanka Boxing Federation (BASL), as well as the kickboxing (Muay Thai) federations, has been instrumental in our success. Their involvement ensures the credibility and smooth operation of our events, making Fight Night a memorable experience for both fighters and fans,” he added.
“From the beginning, Combat by Jesh has been a family-driven endeavor. My brother-in-law and I have always believed that family is everything. We run multiple businesses, including apparel, clothing and salons, but our core passion has always been boxing and MMA. This journey has been deeply rooted in our family values and a shared vision for the future of combat sports in Sri Lanka,” he said.
“We recognised that the audience craves a diverse range of experiences and we saw boxing as the central pillar. Our vision is to develop a franchise model similar to the IPL and LPL, creating a thriving ecosystem for white-collar boxing and corporate competitions. By expanding beyond club-level competitions to include corporate matchups, we aim to bring a new dimension to the sport,” Alles told the Sunday Observer.
“Almost every boxer has expressed their amazement at the level of support and enthusiasm from the audience. Our aim is to elevate combat sports in Sri Lanka and provide a platform for our athletes to shine. With events like these, we are paving the way for a brighter future for boxing, MMA and K-1 in our country. We believe an Olympic boxing gold is not far out of reach,” he said.
