Many boxers violate rules on turning pro
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association (Pertina) said many amateur boxers violated rules on turning professional, as the latter event is more financially promising.
Pertina deputy secretary-general Didiet Soedijoto told The Jakarta Post in a telephone interview that the association has difficulty applying the existing regulation.
"We have a regulation on players turning professional but it's very difficult to apply as we always receive protests either from boxers, coaches, promoters or other parties saying that we block boxers' basic human right to earn money," Didiet said.
"Pertina wants only qualified boxers to turn into pros because professional boxing is much harder and tougher. They must possess good technical skills, physical fitness and match experience."
Didiet was commenting on professional boxing which claimed its seventh casualty in the last 10 years - Muhammad Alfaridzhi, who was knocked out last Friday and died three days later.
Alfa, his nickname, was awarded the title of best boxer at the 1995 Golden Glove Championships and won the 1997 National Championships before turning professional.
"Boxers must have at least four years amateur experience, with a total of 80 matches behind them, before becoming pro. Instant boxers really have no technical skill when fighting.. they just hit without strategy."
KTI regulations say that a boxer does not have to be amateur but must be at least 18 years old, physically and mentally healthy, and must have a recommendation from the Indonesian Boxing Coaches Association.
Boxing observer Syamsul Anwar Harahap said that a boxer could turn professional immediately but he would achieve less good results than those who started as amateurs.
"It's very difficult for a boxer, who has no background as an amateur, to become a professional boxer in this country. Amateur boxers possess advantages from technical skills, physical fitness, fighting experience gained from competitions."
"It's like if someone is a blue collar worker and he is required to carry out an executive job. Will he be capable of doing so? He won't. It's like in boxing. If he's not as experienced as an amateur, how can he gain success in a professional career?"
"Less experienced boxers must learn more boxing skills which are always taught to amateurs."
Didiet said Pertina and KTI planned to work together on regulations on amateur boxers turning pro.
"Pertina can't interfere with the Indonesian Boxing Committee (KTI) because we are two different bodies. There is a plan to place Pertina, KTI and ATI (Indonesian Boxing Association) under the same roof... unfortunately, it still remains a plan."
Pertina's Cuban coach, Carlos JP Torres, warned professional boxers to improve their boxing techniques by relying on technical skills and strategy, not only on physical condition.
"If they keep boxing that way (as shown on TV), I'm afraid more boxers will suffer brain injury in the future. It could lead to more deaths," he was quoted as saying by Antara.
"I don't understand why they have to pick the head as their target because the stomach is also a good target to defeat an opponent."
"The more often a boxer receives punches to the head, the more likely it is that he will suffer brain damage. (yan)