There are different ways to play this dangerous game. One is to engage in the sport of boxing per se, and if you want to up the ante, do it in Indonesia where an inordinate number of fatalities seem to occur. The most recent happened when 17-year-old Tubagus Sakti needlessly took several flush shots after having quit during his debut bout on January 27, 2013 in Jakarta. The white and sightless gaze in Sakti?s eyes as he slumped into the hands of his cornermen was horrific. He became the 30th Indonesian boxer to die since 1948.
Earlier, in November 2012, 19-year-old Okson Palue died reportedly from injuries suffered in a fight that ended in an eight-round draw in Kupang City. Death occurred five days after the fight.
In March 2012, Muhammad Afrizal (20-17-1) died following brain surgery after losing a 12-round UD to Irvan Marbun who had a 3-1 record with one stoppage loss to a winless boxer. Though he left the ring on his own power, Afrizal began vomiting an hour after the bout, and fell unconscious with a hemorrhage. Afrizal, a former Pan Asia Boxing Association featherweight champion, was then rushed to Christian University (UKI) Hospital in eastern Jakarta, but the damage had been done.Prior to Afrizal?s death, the last Indonesian boxing fatality occurred in 2007.
In 2002 and following a series of deaths, the WBC banned Indonesian boxers from fighting in WBC-sanctioned bouts outside the country. The ban was lifted July 2002 on condition Indonesia imposes safety rules and formed a commission to monitor matches.
Given the most recent ring fatality of Tubagus Sakti, it seems timely to take another look at what is going on in Indonesia. And maybe it?s time to do more than simply warn the Indonesian Commission. But even if WBC affiliated countries were again not allowed to authorize boxers to fight in Indonesia (because of the danger), allowing Indonesian fighters to toil in other countries does not necessarily resolve the issue as the following scenario outlines:
On January 17, 2014, Indonesian bantamweight Safwan Lombok (1-21-1) was stopped by the very capable Thai Kawanthai Sithmorseng (44-2-1). The Thai was coming off a loss to world champion Kazuto Ioka. Lombok had lost 18 straight and has become a notch on the belt of every opponent he fights. But this mismatch was culpable and egregious; it was blood sport and flat out criminal.
Even the fans are not safe in Indonesia as this video footage demonstrates: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/video/2013-07/16/c_132545211.htm
Look for Russian Roulette: Part Two coming soon.
