Boxing body to hire promoter for SEAG

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association plans to hire a promotion expert to attract more people to watch boxing matches in the 19th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games here next year.

The association's Secretary-general Didit Soedijoto said on Monday that he will contact Helmy Sungkar, who has been known as a good promoter for automotive sports, to start promoting boxing.

"Helmy is recommended by Soebronto Laras as a good promoter," Didit said. Subronto is the director of Indomobil company.

"Helmy has agreed to promote last year's President's Cup championships but his tight schedule in automotive made him cancel the plan," he said.

Didit referred to the last National Games, which lacked of audiences. The SEA Games organizing committee is working hard on thinking the right promotion so many people will come and watch.

"In the last President's Cup, there was an indication that the number of spectators was decreasing," he said.

Didit promised that the SEA Games' boxing matches will be a valuable distraction for boxing lovers.

"We have Olympics champion from Thailand and silver medalist from the Philippines. It's a guarantee that the match will be the best," he said.

However, the association is still facing problems with the venue. The organizers want boxing to be staged at the 2,000-seat Kuningan Sports Hall on Jl. Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, but the association wants the sport to be staged at the 3,500-seat Senayan Tennis Indoor Stadium.

"Kuningan is more strategic because the hall is located near the shopping center and the transportation is easier compared to Senayan," he said.

"But we have to put air conditioners in the hall because it's so hot," he added.

The National Sports Council urged the association to win four golds in the next SEA Games. Indonesia only managed five silvers and three bronzes in the 1995 SEA Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Thirty boxers have undergone centralized training program at the Army's Special Force headquarters in Cijantung, East Jakarta. Cuban coach Isidoro Trotman is coaching them and will be assisted by another Cuban. (yan)