Ignored boxer Mihiran raises the bar at Clifford Cup

By Allaam Ousman

Umayanga Mihiran

Umayanga Mihiran was in sublime form during the 95th Clifford Cup quarter-finals of the Bantamweight (under 55kgs) as he outgunned Army veteran Piyal Dharmasena at Royal MAS Arena yesterday. 

A two-time national champion, 22-year-old Mihiran representing Police, produced a masterclass in controlled aggression and technical brilliance to force a stoppage in the third round. 

A bronze medallist at the ASBC Asian Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand last year — a feat Sri Lanka achieved for the first time since 1987 — Mihiran showcased the poise and precision that once made him one of the country’s most exciting prospects.

After a turbulent period marked by a disqualification at last year’s Nationals for an indiscreet blow, a semi-final loss to a Tajikistan opponent at the ASBC Asian Youth and Under-22 Championships in Colombo, and a shoulder injury that derailed his Layton Cup campaign, Mihiran appeared to have rediscovered both focus and form.

Displaying superb ring-craft and quicksilver footwork, the Sri Jayewardenepura University undergraduate peppered his rugged southpaw opponent with crisp combinations. Dharmasena, last year’s most scientific boxer at the Nationals, was given two standing eight counts in the second round as Mihiran’s solid right hand and left crosses found their mark. Midway through the final round, the referee stopped the contest after another onslaught, handing Mihiran victory by technical knockout.

The performance underscored why many regard Mihiran as Sri Lanka’s pound-for-pound best boxer — and what the nation might miss after he was overlooked by the National Olympic Committee for an International Olympic Committee scholarship aimed at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The Clifford Cup, conducted by the Boxing Association of Sri Lanka under World Boxing regulations for the first time, will continue today at 2.00 p.m. at the Royal MAS Arena.