Hendropriyono urged to stay as KTI chief

Hendropriyono urged to stay as KTI chief

JAKARTA (JP): A leading national fight promoter has asked
Indonesian Pro-boxing Commission (KTI) chairman A.M Hendropriyono
to reconsider his intention to step down from the top post of the
organization.

"We still badly need such a figure with strong leadership
great integrity and wide vision as Pak Hendro at the helm of
KTI," promoter Anthon Sihombing said yesterday.

He said Hendropriyono could cooperate with everyone, and has
proven beyond doubt that he has great dedication to the
development of professional boxing in the country.

"I think instead of Pak Hendro, it is some certain individuals
in the KTI executive board who must resign because they cannot
work with the commission's chief," Anthon said.

Army Lt. General Hendropriyono, a former Jakarta Military
Chief, expressed his wish to resign two weeks ago.

Rumors have it that the main reason behind Hendro's intention
to leave KTI was State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports
Hayono Isman's wish that KTI and Pertina (Indonesian Amateur
Boxing Association) be merged.

Anthon said if Hendropriyono does resign, he would be "the
saddest man in Indonesia."
"This means that the Suwito Lagola-Frans Pena fight next March
for which I will be the promoter will be my last job as a fight
promoter," Anthon said without elaborating.

Suwito, the Indonesian WBF (World Boxing Federation)
welterweight champion, is scheduled to make his first defense of
the title he won from Jaime Perma of the United States on Sept.30
against another American, Frans Pena, here on March 17.

But Anthon believed that Hendro's intention to step down would
not be accepted by most participants attending the KTI Congress
here on Dec. 16. (bas)