Eighty boxers invited to Golden Glove c'ship

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)