Boxing club is Baki’s pride

By ROBINSON LEKA
IRON Chief has come a long way in developing boxers in the country with the club winning its first international bout through welterweight Andrew Aisanga.
Aisanga made a perfect start to his professional boxing career after he outworked Filipino Mark Sales at Port Moresby’s Sir John Guise Stadium Indoor Complex on Sunday.
The six-round bout was on the undercard of the World Boxing Association Asia super featherweight title fight between PNG’s Raka Kauko Jr and Filipino Roldan Aldea.
Aisanga, John Decklam, Peter Miria and Chico Emmanuel are products of the new boxing club with all four athletes pursuing careers in professional boxing.
Co-founder and head coach Kevin “Iron” Baki is determined to pave a way for young boxers in the country with the club operating out of his Hohola residence in the nation’s capital.
“We’re very happy with how far we’ve come and this shows the commitment that these young men have towards the sport,” he said.
“Our boxers usually camp here and we’ve been working together for some months now, with training in the mornings and afternoons.
“For many years, we’ve just been working and training from home.
“The club has received very little recognition but that has changed in recent times, thanks to our manager Solomon Jerram.
“Jerram has been working behind the scenes to make sure we at least have something to work with while we train.
“The small things we’ve got like our track suits, shoes and shirts have boosted the morale of our boxers during training.”
Winter (PNG) Limited last week presented Iron Chief with K5,000, the club’s first donation from any organisation.
“The club has come up with the aim to help boxers who have missed out on opportunities, but that’s going to change now,” Winter representative Peter Pamundi said.
“The club has now shown how it can use the sport to take responsibility to involve a lot of youths on the streets by getting them involved in boxing.
“It makes young people have a sense of purpose and become useful.
“We’re really impressed with the challenges they’ve overcome to get to where they are now.”
Jerram hailed the commitment of their coaching staff, including Baki who recovered from a traffic accident last year.

The accident, which occurred along Central’s Hiritano Highway, saw the amputation of Baki’s left forearm.
“Even though we’re a young club, Baki has been around for years, coaching our young boxers,” Jerram said.
“He is no stranger to the sport. At one point, he was the national welterweight champion.
“He wanted to end his career with an international fight but that wasn’t possible after the accident.
“But it hasn’t stopped him from continuing to participate in boxing, so he has decided to give back to the sport as a coach.
“Everyone in PNG loves rugby league and soccer, but boxing is coming up.
“We’re an exciting sport where we have two men stepping into the ring and one coming out victorious, but the winner then faces a lot challengers to stay on top.
“To the fighters, boxing is not a sport to them but a lifestyle and it’s an opportunity to better themselves.”
National lightweight champion Raka Kauko Jr backed the club to help develop the sport in the country.
“The club has been supporting me since day one and we all know each other through training and sparring,” he said.
“Baki was one of the first people I trained under when I joined boxing and it’s really encouraging to see him take the next group of boxers under his wing.
“I’m training under coach Jamie Pang and the Pang family who operate the Integrated Mixed Martial Arts (IMMA) club.
“But it’s always great to come and spend time with fellow boxers from this club and see them evolve.
“Iron Chief boxers and officials have always cheered me on during my local fights and it’s only proper that I return the favour.
“Whatever support we get is a boost for everyone in boxing because it helps improve the standard of training and performance.”