File photo shows Rahman (second left) handing over a souvenir to Lingga assemblywoman Dayang Noorazah Awang Sohor as Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneur Development Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah (second right) and Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development cum Simanggang assemblyman Datuk Francis Harden Hollis (right) look on at last year’s Sarawak Open Boxing Championships.
KUCHING (July 4): The Sarawak Amateur Boxing Association (SABA) has announced that the second edition of the Sarawak Open Boxing Championships will be held in Sri Aman again from Aug 19 to 26.
“We (the organising committee) have met and … Sri Aman has once again been chosen as the tournament venue after the successful organising of the first edition in August last year where it received a very encouraging response.
“Furthermore, the same arena, the Sri Aman Indoor Stadium, will also be the venue for boxing for Sukma XXI.
“Thus, it is the best preparation ground before we host 21st Sukma next year,” said SABA president Dato Rahman Lariwoo at a press conference on Monday.
Elite and Sukma boxers from all over the state and foreign boxers from Batam and Kalimantan in Indonesia, Singapore, Japan and Thailand are expected to slug it out in the tournament.
A major highlight will be the professional clash between Sukma XX gold medalist Daeloniel McDelon Bong or ‘Kilat Boy’ who is a native of Sri Aman, against Thailand’s Sonran Sopakul. The two are among some big names who will be featured in the professional bouts.
Rahman revealed that the tournament will provide a stage to select the state Sukma squad as well as the best opportunity for local boxers to showcase their ability in a highly competitive environment.
He also expressed the hope that the people of Sri Aman will come down en masse to catch the action as they did in the previous edition.
