Many boxers violate rules on turning pro

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)