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By PETER PUSAL
IF TALENT alone was the deciding factor in establishing a
boxer’s value then 21 year old former amateur PNG welter
weight champion Rickson Yamo would be worth a pretty penny
by now.
Boxing is the most successful commercial combat sport on the
planet with mainstream acceptance through out the world. It
has the potential to generate mega pay days for prize
fighters in the upper echelons of weight divisions.
Just look at the crop of super stars in the likes of Tzyu,
De La Hoya, Jones, Barrera, Mayweather, Lewis, Holyfield and
Tyson. These individuals have captured fans interest in ways
that can only be described as sensational. Why? Its simple
they had the talent, the determination, skill, smarts and
the right management team.
With a support team consisting of Ower Illa as manager and
boxing stalwarts Lynch Ipera and Martin Benny taking care of
marketing and logistics and overall fight preparations it’s
safe to say the Rickson Yamo’s fledgling career is in good
hands.
For Rickson his association with the fight game began in
2000 when as a 14 year old he joined Stanley Nandex’s
kickboxing school in order to fulfill a childhood interest
in the sport.
Rickson turned professional in 2007 and has had three fights
(3-0, 3 KO) for three wins all via KO. His amateur record is
just as compelling with 26 fights all won by way of knock
out making him the master of his weight division. There are
no questions about Yamo’s ability in the ring for someone
who just picked up the sport of boxing three years after
crossing over form kickboxing. One example of his awesome
power was against an Indonesian opponent in Jayapura, 2005
when representing PNG he blew out his challenger in one
round. He followed up that win later in the year with
another knock out victory in the return bout in Port
Moresby.
Top among Rickson’s array of boxing skills would have to be
his hand speed and power. Crucial assets for any pugilist
worth his salt.
Practically everyone who has worked his corner will attest
to this fact. He holds knock out power in both hands and has
the ability to deliver brutal barrages at a rapid rate
leaving any opponent reeling - and probably regretting being
in the ring in the first place.
The PNG sporting public is ready for a legitimate champion
in a sanctioned and internationally recognised sport and
Rickson Yamo just might be our hope at getting there. He
certainly has the skills and the talent to one day be a
title contender. Coupled with this he brings a determination
and will to win that only true confidence and self belief
can explain.
Young, brash, a little cocky and at times out spoken,
Rickson displays attributes that can make him a marketable
commodity in the world of professional boxing. Of course
boyish good looks don’t hurt and thrown into that mix is his
desire to be the next PNG champion of note on the
international scene. And I can tell you it’s been a while
since we’ve had a star in the ring. Gone are the heydays of
PNG boxing in the 70’s when Martin Benny, John Abba and
later Lynch Ipera in the 90’s put PNG on the world stage,
making them household names and inspiring the public with
their exploits in the ring.
PNG Boxing has gone into hibernation since Ipera’s
retirement from competitive boxing in 2000. The commonwealth
games bronze medalist says that the sport is currently
stagnant with inactivity at the club level and nationally,
“Right now I’m not sure what direction boxing in PNG is
taking. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of competitions or
organisation”. A sad state of affairs really when you
consider the potential talent pool out there for the sport
to tap into. The streets of Moresby and other towns are
practically a nursery of young men who can make something of
themselves and go places in the sport as evinced by the
Rickson Yamo story.
Boxing unlike other combat sports enables fighter s to turn
professional and earn regular money from bouts. Although
there are different organisations in the world of
professional boxing claiming to be legitimate sanctioning
bodies there is no denying that the sport does have a
credible mainstream audience and therefore access to
sponsorship and money making potential.
With big plans for Rickson Yamo his success in the sport
over seas could signal a new era for boxing in PNG. “ If
Rickson makes it big on the Australian scene imagine what
that will do for PNG boxing, we’re talking about giving hope
and something to aim at for a lot of young people”, says
Team Yamo manager Ower Illa when looking at the possible
implications of a successful Yamo career in Australia.
Team Yamo has agreed to launch the young man’s career with a
four round light welterweight (63.5kg) fight scheduled on
February 22 against Australian John Akauola (4-1, 3 KO) at
Wyong Leagues Club, New South Wales, Australia.
The match made by fight promoter Angelo Hyder pits Yamo
against Akauola, a 23 year old Brisbane born southpaw
(lefthander), who has a decent record with 3 KO wins from 4
fights. Rickson should be confident going in to this fight
as he carries an unblemished record while his opponent has
been knocked out in a previous bout.
The sport of boxing needs a major injection of talent and
management skills in order to generate the type of interest
that it enjoyed in the days when ordinary Papua New Guineans
where familiar with names like Ali, Frazier and Foreman.
The only question is if Yamo can end it early and get the
Australian boxing public interested in this kid from PNG.
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