Indonesian boxers get PABA title fights

Indonesian boxers get PABA title fights

JAKARTA (JP): Two veteran Indonesian boxers, Nico Toriri and
Robby Rahangmetan, will try their luck overseas in Pan Asia
Boxing Association (PABA) title bouts next month.

Promoter Tourino Tidar told The Jakarta Post Monday that Nico
will fight defending PABA junior middleweight champion Kevin
Kelly of Australia in Sydney on April 5, while Robby will face
the Association's featherweight title holder Chormokphet
Chorchamuang of Thailand in Bangkok on April 6.

Both Nico and Robby are the number one contenders in their
respective divisions.

The mandatory fights, scheduled for 12 rounds, will earn Nico
A$3,200 (Rp 19.2 million) and Robby US$1,200 (Rp 12 million).

Despite fighting on foreign soil, Nico and Robby are both
guardedly optimistic of victory.

"I will knock Kelly out in the seventh round to avenge a
controversial draw in a non-title bout with him here in 1991,"
said 31-year-old Nico, who was raised in Irian Jaya.

"I know Kelly's strategy but I have my own strategy to knock
him out," Nico added.

In contrast to Nico's familiarity, Robby said that he knew
nothing about his Thai opponent. The 31-year-old Indonesian will
be making his first appearance in a PABA sanctioned bout, having
fought mostly at national level to date. His last international
fight was against Cris Saquet of the Philippines for the Orient
and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) flyweight title in Surabaya
in 1991. In that fight Robby was knocked out in the fourth round.

"The KO defeat encourages me to knock out Chormokphet in the
sixth round," Robby from Ambon said.

Tourino said he would arrange prestigious World Boxing
Association (WBA) bouts for Nico and Robby if they win their
upcoming matches.

Junior featherweight Bugiarso and lightweight Cheppy Holman
are the only Indonesians who are currently on the WBA's list of
contenders. Bugiarso is ranked sixth and Cheppy is fourth in
their respective divisions.

Nico will depart for Sydney on April 2 and Robby will leave
for Bangkok on April 3. (lnt)