Ninety boxers to slug out Golden Glove tournament

Ninety boxers to slug out Golden Glove tournament

JAKARTA (JP): Ninety boxers are to take part in the annual
Golden Glove Boxing Championship in Bogor, West Java, this week.

The Indonesian Boxing Association's executive director, Imron
ZS, said yesterday that 88 boxers have registered for the
championship, which is to be staged from Jan. 3 to Jan. 9, and
three host athletes have received wild cards for the tournament.

"But one boxer from East Java has withdrawn from the
championship for an unknown reason," he said.

Didiet Soedijoto, the association's secretary-general, told
reporters that Kanser Muda withdrew due to a recent accident.

Organizers' Chairman Kiky Saritoun said that South Sumatra,
Irian Jaya and Central Kalimantan boxers have registered. North
Sumatra has yet to confirm its participation but its boxers have
arrived in Bogor.

Imron said that the championship, which is only open to the
country's best boxers, is useful to boost national athletes'
performance in upcoming international tournaments and to increase
their quality.

"The association sees the tournament as a way to find young
talented boxers, who will be groomed to be the country's main
squad for the SEA Games," he said.

The championship, which is to feature 11 classes, will not
feature national boxer Hendrik Simangunsong, who represents North
Sumatra, and Rahman Kili-kili from Jakarta.

They both rejected the offer to join the country's national
training program, which started in November. Thirty three boxers
are participating in the program but only 11 are to be picked for
the country's final squad.

"The association considers they rejected the offer to join the
training," Imron said.

Rahman is reportedly planning to relinquish his amateur status
to turn pro in the next few months.

Imron said that the North Sumatra chapter has yet to send any
information on Hendrik. Hendrik's father visited the association
earlier this month asking for special treatment for Hendrik.

"His father asked the association to start the program after
Idul Fitri for Hendrik and urged us to help his family
financially as soon as Hendrik joins the program," Imron said.

"The association never gives special treatment to individual
boxers," he added.

Didiet said that another boxer, La Paene Masara, who reached
the Olympic Games' quarterfinals in the 48kg class, will also
miss the tournament as he has family business in his hometown in
Maluku.

Imron refuted the possibility that La Paene's absence was due
to weight problems.

"If the reason is because he is overweight then he was being
undisciplined during a previous program," he said. (yan)