Indonesian boxers set no target at World Cup

JAKARTA (JP): Making their first appearance at the June 3-12 World Cup boxing championships in Bangkok, Indonesian boxers main concern is just getting in shape for the Asian Games.

The seventh edition of the major amateur boxing tournament sanctioned by the World Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) will see Indonesia banking on nine boxers who will form the backbone of the national team for Hiroshima's Asian Games in Hiroshima.

The pugilists are light heavyweight Pino Bahari, who won the gold at the 1990 Asian Games when he fought as a middleweight, middleweight Albert Papilaya, light middleweight Hendrik Simangunsong, welterweight Aswin Cabui, lightweight Victor Ramos, featherweight Nemo Bahari, bantamweight Herry Makawimbang, flyweight Hermensen Ballo and pinweight Rachman Kili-kili.

AIBA will use the new five, two-minute round system for the first time in Bangkok. The old amateur system used three, three- minute round bouts.

National coach Ferry Moniaga apparently threw the towel when he said his team's chances of winning the championships were slim. "All best boxers throughout the world, notably the Cubans, will turn up for the event," he said upon paying a visit to chairman of the national sports governing body Surono on Tuesday.

Ferry's men, which includes the boxers who powered Indonesia to its third overall championship title at the President Cup last February, will be pitted against boxers from 70 countries.

Secretary general of the national amateur boxing body (Pertina) Didiet Soedijoto said the national squad will have to fight in at least two more championships before entering the continent's biggest sport meet. Pertina had earlier hinted that the training grounds for Pino and his company would move to France and Italy.

There are also five Asian AIBA-sanctioned championships contested in Ulan Bator, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Kazakhstan and Pyongyang by October.

"The more tournaments they take participate in, the more confident they will become," Didiet said. He admitted that most of the boxers lacked of experience at the international level. Hendrik, Pino and Albert were the only team members to have world-rated record as they represented Indonesia in 1992 Olympics.

Pertina has groomed the boxers in a national training camp since last March in a bid to get more than a gold in the 12th Asiad.

KONI recommended last February that only seven pugilists be given places in Indonesia's Asian Games contingent because of financial problems. Pertina, however, called two more boxers -- Aswin and Herry -- and will cover their expenses in Hiroshima out of treasury reserves.

The Indonesian boxing squad leaves for Bangkok today.(amd)