La Paene to earn Rp 5m in first professional bout

JAKARTA (JP): Fast money is what former national boxer La Paene Masara will get from his first professional bout next week.

La Paene's manager, Waris, confirmed on Wednesday that a promoter from the RCTI private TV station Abraham Bisma had agreed to pay the 27-year old boxer Rp 5 million (US$510) for six-rounds against Darwin Alfian of Tangerang in the 48.9- kilograms division bout on March 20.

Waris said that La Paene's reputation in amateur boxing might have persuaded Abraham to feature the boxer in the bout which will be broadcast live from Marine headquarters in Cilandak, South Jakarta.

"It's great to see La Paene getting such a good purse. No other boxer, especially a non-ranked professional, has ever earned that much from fighting for six rounds. I suppose that the TV station is paying its respects to La Paene's fame.

"I was surprised when Pak Abraham came to me and stated his willingness to pay him so well. Hopefully, it will encourage other promoters to pay boxers good fees for their performances," he said over the phone.

La Paene's greatest achievement to date was reaching the quarterfinals of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He also won gold at the 1997 SEA Games here and a bronze medal two years later at the Brunei SEA Games.

He quit amateur boxing and the 2001 SEA Games training program last month after the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association (Pertina) failed to fulfill its promise of finding him a job.

He had been asking Pertina and its Jakarta chapter for the last four years to find him a job so as to allow him to support his wife Nuraini and their two children. He later joined the Extra Joss boxing camp in Cilandak, where he was offered a job and a residence.

Waris said that RCTI usually paid unranked boxer Rp 1 million for the six-round bout and Rp 2 million for the eight-round bout which they broadcast live every week.

Meanwhile, another TV station, Indosiar, which also broadcasts Indonesian professional boxing, pays a boxer Rp 375,000 for a six-round bout and Rp 800,000 for an eight-round bout, regardless of the boxer's ranking.

"Pak Abraham promises to pay La Paene up to Rp 15 million for an eight-round bout if he can gain himself a good reputation in professional boxing. If he can win continuously, the promoter won't hesitate to pay him up to Rp 18 million," he claimed.

La Paene said he was ready for the bout.

"I am physically prepared for the bout. If my coach wants me to fight today, I have no objections," he was quoted by Antara as saying on Wednesday

Waris said that he had agreed to collaborate with RCTI because the station was interested in the boxers and offered good prospects.(ivy)