Miria seeking challenge in pro ranks

BY BENJAMIN KOITAKA
PETER Miria, pictured, from Waima village, Kairuku, Central, has left the amateur ranks to pursue his goal of becoming a professional boxer this year.
The 22-year-old super welterweight (69kg) is scheduled to fight in the upcoming PNG Professional Boxing Gymnasium show in Port Moresby on March 24.
Miria will fight on the undercard of a show that will see some Indo-Pacific Boxing Association (IPBA) titles on the line.
A longtime fan of professional boxing Miria, who has taken part in several amateur tournaments, said he was following his heart to prizefighting and was aiming to develop his skills, stamina and power while winning fights and hopefully fight for a national or regional title as well as getting paid.
The 180cm tall fighter who goes by the ring name “The Papuan Black” is set to take on fellow Central man Chicko Emmanuel.
Miria has pedigree being the younger brother of 2017 PNG Games gold medallist Michael Miria.
Miria said he decided to join the pro ranks because he wanted the excitement of this level of boxing.
“In amateur boxing you are part of a group or team and you go around representing your province or association and that is good but I want to fight for myself and chose who I fight,” Miria said.
“I also left because I wasn’t fighting regularly in the amateur boxing system so I decided to make the move.
“I also like it because in pro boxing you are getting paid,” he said.
Miria first stepped into a ring in 2011 while a seventh grader. He said his biggest influence was his uncle Joseph Mako, who was a former boxer
After completing grade 12 in 2016 Miria committed to his boxing and was party of a group of amateurs who travelled to Fiji to fight.
He was lost a split decision but he did not let that discourage him.
His uncle Joseph Mako was his coach from when he first laced up a pair of gloves but is now with PNG legend Martin Beni, who is guiding him as he is set to make his pro debut.
“I left my uncle Joseph and joined Martin Beni so I could learn to fight as a pro and also becuase he can get me fights,” he said.
Miria trains out of a club in Tokarara, Port Moresby and works for Pacific Industries.
He thanked Pacific Industries manager Damon Maskelyn for supporting him with gloves, the licensing fee to turn professional as well as other training gear.
Meanwhile, PNGPBG president Elvin Wafewa welcomed Miria to the March show.
Wafewa confirmed that the Miria-Emmanuel would be on the undercard of his show.
Wafewa said the there were still vacant IPBA titles and an announcement would be made on who would fight for the titles as soon as the involvement of some overseas fighters was confirmed.
“The remaining unclaimed titles of the IPBA will be put up on show next month which will see PNG fighters take on some from Indonesia,” Wafewa said.
He said Junior Kauka Raka and Jimmy Pius would fight Indonesian opponents for the lightweight (61.5kg) and bantamweight (54kg) titles.
Light heavyweight John Korake won the IPBA title with a knockout of Pakistani Ezatullah Kakar last December.
Kakar is set to feature again in the March show, this time against Solomon Tiamani at middleweight (72.5kg).
Elias Konou will fight Nelson Samson, also at middleweight, while Miria against Emmanuel would clash in a super welterweight bout.
“Kakar is hungry to prove himself and win fights in PNG after losing an action-packed fight last year to John Korake,’ Wafewa said.