Boxing council confident of code’s revival

By ROBINSON LEKA
THE newly-established Papua New Guinea Boxing Council is confident that the scheduled World Boxing Association (WBA) title bout for this month will help revive the sport and promote local fighters.
The council’s interim president Ben Micah said the April 25 WBA Asia super featherweight title fight presented opportunities for PNG’s elite fighters with the country now coming under the radar of international boxing.
Under Oceania Fights Promoters, Papua New Guinea lightweight champion Raka Kauko Jr will face on Filipino Roldan Aldea at Port Moresby’s Sir John Guise Stadium.
“It’s going to be a challenge because this belt is a vacant title and whoever takes it will be the first to have his name on the belt and whoever that comes after will go on to fight for this title,” Micah said.
“Even though the event was delayed for more than one year now because of the Covid-19 restrictions by the Government, we’d like to thank the national pandemic controller for giving us the clearance to go ahead with the fight under the new protocols of Covid-19.
“Kauko is challenging someone who’s a little bit more seasoned and has more points but a fight is a fight.
“In boxing, you’ll never know because one wrong move and an opportunity is open to decide whether you’re the winner or loser.”
Micah said the prospects of future professional bouts from local fighters would depend on “promoters and how we can help to coordinate and organise fights taking place in other countries for whatever weight category or fight”.