WBA hosts WBA convention

WBA hosts WBA convention

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali

The 82nd convention of the World Boxing Association has begun on
Tuesday in Bali, with its Indonesian affiliate saying it would
use the opportunity to push for the country's prospect boxers to
move up to the international scene.

WBA President Gilberto Mendoza, accompanied by Minister of
Manpower Jacob Nuwa Wea, officially opened the two-day convention
at the Discovery Kartika Plaza in Kuta, to where 50 of 120 member
countries have sent their representatives.

Participants have converged on Bali from Argentina, Australia,
Brazil, Colombia, Czech, Germany, the Honduras, Japan, Mexico,
the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, Sweden and Thailand.

Eddy Pirih, an official of the WBA-affiliate Indonesian Boxing
Committee (KTI), hoped that they could use the occasion to lobby
boxing promoters.

"We will ask that they pay attention to the skills of our
boxers and give them the chance to fight in the international
arena," Eddy said after the opening ceremony.

Eddy, himself a promoter, said the annual convention would
shed light on professional boxing rules, as well as discuss the
agenda for the next meeting, the venue of which has yet to be
decided.

The Bali meet could have seen the arrival of renowned, world-
class promoter Don King, but he did not join the convention
because of a U.S. government advisory against traveling to
Indonesia.

The two title fights for Thursday and Friday were scheduled on
the eve of the convention.

Daudy Bahari of Indonesia and Kiatchai Coin of Thailand will
fight on Thursday for the Pacific Asia Boxing Association (PABA)
junior welterweight title, while Indonesian featherweight Chris
Jhon will fight for the WBA crown on Friday against Oscar Leon of
Colombia.

Pino Bahari, the match organizer, said the WBA title was up
for grabs after incumbent champion Derrick Gainer of the U.S.
signed up for the International Boxing Federation (IBF)
championship.