'Boxing merger' idea gets mixed reactions

'Boxing merger' idea gets mixed reactions

JAKARTA (JP): National boxing officials are split over Minister
for Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman's idea that KTI(
National Pro Boxing Commission) and Pertina (Indonesian Amateur
Boxing Association) be merged.

"For Pertina the idea is allright if the minister can assure
us that it would help boost the quality of national boxing. But
he should come up with a concrete idea by setting up a working
group for example," Pertina secretary Didiet Sudijoto said
Friday.

He said because the minister's proposal was still "vague" the
association had not the slightest idea of the kind of boxing body
wanted by Hayono.

Didiet proposed that the minister immediately form a working
group to comprehensively discuss "the advantages and
disadvantages" of a single body governing both amateur and
professional boxing activities in the country.

"Then if a consensus is reached it would really provide a shot
in the arm for national boxing, which is now in the doldrums, the
idea could be soon be realized."

Didiet said the Minister raised that idea perhaps because he
sees that in soccer there is only one world body, Federation of
International Football Associations (FIFA), that governs both
amateur and professional soccer.

"But in boxing things are quite different. There is the
Amateur Internationl Boxing Association (AIBA) that governs
amateur boxing in the world, and more than three world bodies
that oversee professional boxing, including the World Boxing
Council (WBC), the World Boxing Association (WBA) and the
International Boxing Federation (IBF), not to mention the lightly
regarded World Boxing Organization (WBO), World Boxing Union
(WBU) and World Boxing Federation (WBF)," he said.

Minister Hayono raised the idea on Thursday when opening a
boxing camp in Bekasi, saying the merger would augur well for
efforts to produce more quality boxers.

"It might help spur growing interest in boxing among our
youths, which in turn, I believe, could help raise our national
boxing standard," Hayono said.

Hail

KTI chief Maj. Gen A.M. Hendroprijono, hailed the minister's
idea, saying it would be one of the main items on the agenda of
the commission's congress which will be held mid this month in
Jakarta.

"We hail the idea. We will do our best to have it realized. I
think it will bode well for lifting the quality of our national
boxing. We have to admit that most of our good professional
boxers turn pro after being amateurs for months or years,"
Hendroprijono said.

Meanwhile well-known national boxing promoter Tourino Tidar
said basically Hayono's idea was good, "but to realize it is not
that easy."

"I think the idea cannot be realized overnight since there are
a lot of factors and problems that must be considered and ironed
out," Tourino said.

He said the development of national boxing "under one roof"
could help produce more quality pugilists.

"However the merger should be limited only to organizational
matters, since in terms of technical matters and rules, amateur
and professional boxing are world's apart. The most important
thing is there should be an effective mechanism that can ensure
uninterrupted training programs for amateur boxers who wish to
fight in the professional ring," Tourino said.

He added there should clear-cut rules allowing boxers to turn
pro without a string of rigid requirements. (bas)