From Street Brawls to Boxing Rings: Youth in Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta, Now Battle in the Ring

Under the flyover, typically associated with squalor and frequented by vagrants, a different scene unfolds in Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta. In this space often overlooked, a complete boxing gym now stands, featuring a ring and punching bags. The empty area beneath the overpass has been transformed into a training arena, hoped to divert young people from engaging in street brawls.

Yance Sasapta, head of coaching for Jakarta Militan Fight, stated that the idea to establish the gym arose after the East Jakarta city government highlighted the high rate of brawls in the region. “Previously, the Mayor heard that brawl rates were high in East Jakarta. He then gathered some of the youths often involved in fights, commonly known as gangsters,” Yance said when met under the Pasar Rebo flyover on Friday (8/5/2026).

According to Yance, at that time, the East Jakarta Mayor promised a facility that young people could use to channel their energy into more positive activities. Now, the gym is filled with trainees from various student age groups, from junior high to high school students living around Pasar Rebo.

Yance shared that one youth previously known for frequent involvement in brawls turned out to have talent in amateur boxing. That youth was then entered into a match against a boxer from Depok in Bogor. “Coincidentally, one of these gangster youths competed in amateur boxing against a kid from Depok. The Mayor said, ‘If you win, I’ll reward you with a camp’,” Yance recounted.

According to Yance, the presence of the boxing gym under the flyover is slowly having a positive impact on the surrounding environment. “Praise be to God, I feel that around here it’s decreasing,” Yance explained.

Yance emphasised that training at the facility is free of charge. Anyone can join, not just locals from Pasar Rebo. “Yes, it’s free. The only requirement is that during training, you must use hand wraps and gloves. Don’t hit the punching bag with bare hands because you could get injured,” Yance said.