Sutan warns WBA about Chrisjon bout

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The war of words between world featherweight champion Chrisjon and his former trainer Sutan Rambing is intensifying, with the latter warning the World Boxing Association against sanctioning a scheduled fight of the boxer.

Sutan's Jan. 11 letter to the WBA, a copy of which was made available to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday, demands the boxing body desist from authorizing any bout until the two parties have resolved their contract dispute.

"Chrisjon as the boxer and myself as the manager have a valid contract until 2007," he said in the letter, addressed to Renzo Bagnariol, the WBA's World Championship committee chairman.

After retaining his title against Jose Rojas of Venezuela in a Dec. 3 bout in Tenggarong, East Kalimantan, Chrisjon was required to face Derrick Gainer of the United States in a mandatory defense.

The WBA, according to Sutan, wants the fight to be held on March 3, with the venue still to be decided. Gainer was to have fought Chrisjon on Dec. 3, but withdrew after his demand for the bout to be held indoors was rejected.

Chrisjohn resigned from Sutan's Bank Buana Semarang training camp in late December, stating that he wished to become his own manager and choose his own trainer.

With the two parties now in dispute, Sutan said any fight could not go ahead.

"I will try to finish my matter with him (Chrisjon)," Sutan wrote in English. "If we couldn't settle we will bring this matter to court.

"I wish WBA (sic) will not issue any sanction for featherweight mandatory title fight without my knowledge as manager."

Sutan also sent an Indonesian-language version of the letter to Tourino Tidar, the WBA representative in Indonesia. In the letter, he threatened to sue any party which organized a Chrisjon bout.

The boxer, who refused comment on the dispute last week, had previously complained about his purse for the Rojas fight, which he said was too small at Rp 400 million. Sutan rejected the boxer's complaint and showed a bank transfer slip in the amount of Rp 496,612,125, dated Dec. 13, 2004.

Sutan said the 50-50 split of the purse -- following deductions for required payments to the WBA, its representative in Asia and to the previous titleholder -- was standard for national or world champions.