Boxer determined to fight on, despite risks
Boxer determined to fight on, despite risks
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
As dozens of home fans frantically yelled their support, Gideon
Salasa, a 25-year-old local fighter, struggled to land his
punches where they would count.
The cheers turned to groans as Bart Abapo of the Philippines
took control of the bout with his quick jabs and slick footwork.
Although no dangerous punches reached Gideon, the spectators
grew angry and began to shout obscenities at their former idol.
Instead of downing him, the oaths appeared to energize the
former national champion, who promptly upped his tempo a notch
with more stinging punches. Some were right on target.
Despite being under pressure, the Filipino remained calm. He
goaded and provoked his opponent.
Gideon bristled, staring down the Filipino. He landed another
couple of jabs on target, ripping through Abapo's defense. Still,
Abapo stood his ground, taking it all in his stride.
The next couple of rounds saw the two fighters involved in a
slugging match. Abapo looked to have the advantage, his light
footwork and constant jabs helping him gain points.
Then came the eighth round. Abapo, who had by then built up a
slight points lead, landed a blow right on Gideon's nose, sending
blood spurting over both Gideon and his opponent.
Anxious to avoid another of the fatalities that have
overshadowed Indonesian professional boxing for the past four
years, the referee promptly halted the fight and consulted the
ring doctor.
Reasoning that the bleeding could worsen, the doctor
recommended that the fight be brought to a halt. And Gideon was
declared the loser by Technical Knock Out (TKO), two rounds short
of the scheduled 10.
The defeat came as a disappointment not only those inside the
arena but also to those viewing the bout on their TV sets.
The fight -- an international non-title bout -- was aired live
on RCTI television a couple of weeks ago.
Televised boxing contests have been receiving prime-time
billing here since 1998. Boxing enthusiasts can flick on their TV
sets every Thursday on Indosiar, and every Tuesday on RCTI to
catch their favorite sport.
The main bouts pit Indonesians fighters against opponents who
usually come from the Philippines and Thailand.
The TV coverage seems to have rejuvenated national boxing with
the boxers being primarily motivated by money, even though the
purses on offer are normally relatively small.
However, the "business" has been tainted by the deaths of nine
boxers, all Indonesians, in the ring over the last four years.
However, the dangers involved seem to have little effect in
deterring boxers from fighting on.
According to Gideon, if a fighter was unable to accept the
risk, he should turn to another sport.
"He could take up chess, for example. Back home, I remember
people saying that when boxers enter the ring, it's like they are
getting ready to kill each other," he said.
"I have to admit, dying in the ring is a risk that every boxer
faces. Boxing is always the toughest sport. When a boxer is
cornered, he can't run away but must face his opponent.
"In soccer, you can always run away and evade your opponent.
But where can you run when you're in the ring?" he said, his nose
still showing the effects of the punishment he received from
Abapo.
Gideon appeared disappointed by the fight. He said he wished
the referee had allowed a few more seconds for the bleeding to
stop.
But finally he admitted, "It's understandable, it might be
that they just did not want to take the risk after all the recent
deaths."
The 25-year-old Gideon hails from the far-flung Sangihe Talaud
islands, off the north coast of Manado, North Sulawesi.
Being convinced that boxing could earn him money, he took up
the sport when he was 14.
He turned pro in 2001 by joining the JK Dobeli boxing camp in
Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta.
After a series of mandatory six-round bouts, Gideon found
himself ranked among the top ten fighters in the country.
He became the national champion in the junior welterweight
division (63.5 kilograms) in 2003, thus making him one of the
fighters most sought after by the Indonesian Boxing Commission
(KTI) for commercial TV bouts.
Gideon, who has notched up 17 wins and three losses, was paid
7.5 million (US$882.35) from his fight against Abapo. Ten percent
of the money went to his coach and 30 percent to his camp.
"The money is not enough for living in Jakarta, relatively
speaking, but at the moment it is enough to support my family,"
he said.
However, he expressed concerns about what he would do after he
was too old to work as a professional boxer.
"But in the meantime, I'll keep fighting while I can," he
said.