Five Years of Back 2 Fit: Gihan’s Vision ‘Boxing for All’

 Catching them young on par with other countries

By Allaam Ousman 

When Gihan Maduwantha started Back 2 Fit Boxing Club in 2020, it was just a small group of beginners training in a modest space. 

“We started with a small club. I was in my final year at university, and within a month, we had to change the place,” recalled Gihan. “We got a big crowd. So, we had to move to three different locations. Now, we have our boxing club in Boralesgamuwa.”

From those humble beginnings, the club has quickly become one of the most promising forces in Sri Lankan boxing. “As a club, we participated in the 2022 Novices Championship, and Danil won a bronze medal. He joined from the first month. In 2023, we won two gold medals and the Best Boxer award at the Intermediates. Then at the National finals, we won silver,” said Gihan with pride.

Gihan’s approach to training is rooted in both experience and science. “I first started boxing with minors. Now I am here with the National qualified boxers and there are around 200 of them,” he said. “I also focus on kids classes. Compared to the rest of the world, in Sri Lanka, children don’t start young. In countries where champions are made, they start boxing at age five or four. They see boxing, they experience it. That’s how champions are built.”

He began introducing children as young as four to the sport. “That’s why I started the kids’ classes. I also took coaching classes. As a tool, I use the national champions to demonstrate to them,” Gihan explains. Among his early protégés is Danil, now an assistant trainer at the gym. “I have seen a lot in him. A lot of people want to follow him — they like his rhythm and style. He has a lot of experience for his age.”

Beyond producing champions, Gihan wanted boxing to be accessible to everyone — children, adults, and even seniors. “When I was doing sports science, I thought that for people under 14 or 16, it’s not good to give them a competition mindset. But you have to give them a chance to experience it. So, I created a programme called Back to Fit,” he explains.

“We launched it on our anniversary. It’s for kids, juniors, and adults — three levels for kids. We develop their boxing skills and their physical fitness. If they like boxing, they can become experts in physical fitness; if not, even if they switch to another sport, they’ll already have the physical qualities they need,” he said.

Gihan believes boxing should not only be seen as a competitive sport but also as a holistic form of fitness. “Boxing is a good dynamic exercise. It’s a sport for boxers and for people who want to maintain their health and release their stress. Seniors in their 50s, 60s, and 70s don’t like lifting dumb-bells, but they enjoy dynamic exercises. Boxing helps them relax their mind while staying fit,” he adds.

“That’s why ‘Boxing for All’ is a concept that brings the sport to the people.”

Gihan’s academic background in sports science plays a central role in his coaching philosophy. “We try to base everything on science. Boxing is technically good in Sri Lanka, but when it comes to fitness, weight cutting, and sports science, we still use old methods,” he notes.

“There’s a big gap between us and the world. We can’t win international medals unless we use modern scientific approaches.”

Back 2 Fit now works closely with the University of Sri Jayewardenepura to utilise lab facilities and develop data-driven training programs. “We were able to get two Best Boxers at the national level within three years because we used a lot of science,” he says. “Daniel became the national champion within three years. We want to produce the next-level player.”

While Gihan’s club has thrived, he believes Sri Lanka’s boxing structure needs major changes. “If we want to achieve something in the world, we need to change the standards of local competitions,” he says. “Standard players meet only two or three times in local meets. They don’t have enough experience when they go for international tournaments. There’s no national pool, and the best train in two or three different places and meet only during tournaments.”

To mark the fifth anniversary of Back 2 Fit, Gihan is taking a step back to where it all began — his alma mater, Wickramashila Maha Vidyalaya, Giriulla. “When I was a student, we and national champions like Dinidu Saparamadu benefited from the sponsorship of MAS Holdings for boxing and education,” he recalls. “But after they pulled out, there was no boxing.

“Now, after eight years, I want to revive boxing at Wickramasila by donating equipment and providing coaching expertise through Back 2 Fit (Pvt) Ltd. We’re starting a development program next month.”

Gihan’s future goals are ambitious yet grounded. “We want to qualify for the Commonwealth and Olympic qualifiers,” he says. “We also want to win the Stubbs Shield Championship. That’s our first goal.”

For Gihan, boxing is more than a sport — it’s a tool for empowerment, fitness, and community building. “Boxing for all,” he says simply, “is the way to bring sport to the people.”