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.