New boxing chief wants to make peace

JAKARTA (JP): Sang Nyoman Suwisma officially began his four- year term as chief of the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association (Pertina) yesterday with his sights set on an unprecedented reconciliation with the professional boxing body.

Suwisma said after his induction in a ceremony presided over by National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar that an informal meeting between the executives of the two boxing organizations would be held soon as an initial move to unify the two.

"The meeting will serve as an open forum where we can communicate our expectations and set our common goals in boxing. We can discuss or even criticize each other for the sake of national boxing development," he said.

Both Pertina and its professional counterpart, the Indonesian Boxing Committee (KTI), have actually been engaged in a series of talks about unification efforts but with no clear outcome.

KTI chairman A.M. Hendropriyono was the last to encourage negotiations between the two boxing bodies.

Suwisma backed up his words by giving former professional boxer and promoter Boy Bolang a post in the advisory board of the amateur boxing organization.

Boy fully backed his new boss' plan, saying he would do his best to help Suwisma.

Wismoyo also lent his support to the unification plan. He said both the professional and amateur boxing bodies needed a new boost now that Indonesian boxers from the two divisions had fared better recently.

He has repeatedly said that boxers must undergo exposure in amateur bouts before turning professional.

Suwisma expressed his optimism yesterday that his dreams would come true, although he admitted he could not be deeply involved in the unification talks due to his military job as chief of the Tanjungpura Military Command overseeing Kalimantan. He is based in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

"I will monitor all activities of Pertina from Banjarmasin. I fully trust my staff because they are already mature in the boxing world. But the decision will come from me," he said.

"A war leader does not necessary go to the battlefield, does he?" he added. (emf)