"I Don't Want to Join Street Brawls Anymore": Bintang's Journey to Finding a New Life in the Boxing Ring

The sound of punches hitting a heavy bag can now be heard almost every afternoon beneath the flyover in Pasar Rebo, East Jakarta. Under the concrete expanse of the flyover, a space previously associated with the stigma of violence is slowly being filled with more positive activities. The area, once synonymous with street brawls, has been transformed into a boxing training ground for young people. The Jakarta Provincial Government constructed this facility as part of an effort to suppress the number of street brawls in the East Jakarta region, which has been a focal point of concern for many years.

For 22-year-old Bintang, the boxing ring in Pasar Rebo serves as an escape from his former life. “I don’t want to join street brawls anymore,” he said during a conversation on Monday (18/05/2026). He shared how he managed to break free from a life of brawling that had gripped him since junior high school. Before discovering boxing, his daily life was largely spent on activities that he considers negative. Street brawls and loitering late into the night were routine activities for the Depok native.

“I have been involved in brawls since junior high school. My activities—forgive me—were mostly negative. I might not be able to list them all, but I engaged in many negative activities,” Bintang remarked. Bintang admitted that he had no background in sports. In fact, until the age of 22, he had almost never been interested in pursuing physical activities. “Many members of Gen Z actually dislike sports, myself included in the past,” he added.