Eighty boxers invited to Golden Glove c'ship

JAKARTA (JP): After being delayed for two weeks, the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association (Pertina) will stage the 21st Golden Glove boxing championships in April.

The championships organizing committee chairman Kristanto said on Thursday that 80 national boxers from 11 weight divisions were invited to the event, which will be held at BPLP auditorium in Semarang from April 8 to April 14.

"Participants are invited to compete in the championship. All the boxers that we are inviting are not low class competitors. Most of them are in the top 10 of the national ranking," Kristanto said.

Former amateur boxer Hermansen Ballo, who resigned from the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian (SEA) Games training center, has also been invited to the championships. Another 12 national boxers in the center will also compete at the event.

The championships are an elite boxing tournament with demanding requirements.

Competitors must meet one of the following six criteria: one of five national top boxers, a finalist of the 1999 National Championships in Batam, a finalist of the 2000 National Games in Surabaya, the winner at the 1999 National Junior Championships in Jakarta, members of the SEA Games training center or leading athletes in Pertina provincial branches.

The championships were scheduled to be held from March 19 to March 24, but host Semarang delayed the initial dates due to the tight schedule of the venue.

Kristanto said the championships results would effect individual boxer's national rankings.

Pertina deputy secretary general Didiet Soedijoto said the body would observe the performance of all 12 national boxers at the event.

He also said young boxer Melki Lelemboto has been summoned to replace La Paene Masara in the flyweight division for the Games. La Paene turned professional last week and has just joined a boxing camp in South Jakarta.

The other 11 boxers are Benget Simorangkir, Fauzi Zamzami, Yulianto, Feron Matulessy, Gusti Romroman, Joko Suryono, Syarif Hidayat, Deddy Mikaso, Roland Latuni, Ricky Notty, Juan Saparipan, M. Ibrahim, Stevie Binalay, Joshia Pujiono, Jaya La Goga, Bonix Saweho, Karel Muskanan, Benni Elopele, David Isikiwar, Meckson Barataman and Bara Gommies.

They are coached by Ucok Tanamal, Ronny Sigarlaki, Ferry Moniaga, Max Wuwungan, John Amanupunyo and Mesakli Jawan. Pertina also appointed Cuban coach Carlos J. Penate Torres as head coach. (ivy)