A former SEA Games winner, Mario Blasius Kali returned to the top at the Indonesian National Championships
Following the women’s finals, the men’s title contests were all held at the Indonesian Elite National Championships in the city of Makassar. A former Southeast Asian Games gold medallist, Mario Blasius Kali returned to the top of the podium after a break.
The Provincial Management of the Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association of South Sulawesi arranged fantastic environment to this championship. The Makassar Sports & Convention Centre is a new sport facility where 284 boxers from 22 provinces competed for the titles of the championships. Indonesia’s best male boxers such as the SEA Games winners Maikhel Roberrd Muskita, Aldoms Suguro, furthermore Farrand Papendang and Sarohatua Lumbantobing also had to miss the national event this year.
The minimumweight (48kg) is always strong in Indonesia, and their new champion is Exel Karimela who had a successful final against Fernando Ayer. Mario Blasius Kali is a former Southeast Asian Games winner who returned to the competitions and dominated the flyweight (51kg) in Makassar.
Yosua Holy Masihor competed at the recent Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships and those experiences supported his success against Muhammad Aimar Kopong at the bantamweight (54kg). Nolvy Engkeng came from a boxing family and he had the stronger punches than Eliezer Gonzales at the featherweight (57kg) final.
The 22-year-old Abraham Masihor won the title of the lightweight (60kg), Jaczon Tatamang became the runner-up in this division. A promising boxer, Jekri Riwu is a bug puncher at the light welterweight (63.5kg) but Fido Masoara was smarter in the final and he suffered an unexpected loss in Makassar.
Libertus Gha represented Indonesia already in the 2018 and 2019 international competitions and he had the skills to beat his main rivals as Alfino Nanlohy and Lewi P. Simanjuntak at the welterweight (67kg).
Antonius Manto Obisuru had tight contests during his road to the finals while his opponent for the title, Mohammed Reza Midun dominated his bouts. The latter was not able to fight in the day of the finals due to his injury and Obisuru marched to the gold medal of the light middleweight (71kg) in Makassar.
The favourites of the middleweight (75kg), the former National Champion Saputra Samada and the Asian Games quarter-finalist Vinky Montolalu both have had early exits in Makassar therefore Kore Fira was crowned in this category.
Brama Hendra Betaubun competed for Indonesia at the 2017 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships and he had the full control over Frendy Jacob Puray at the light heavyweight (80kg). Sandyarto Deno Feroja moved up to the cruiserweight (86kg) but he had the strength to beat Haris Mongga in the last final of the national event.
The list of the winners at the 2023 Indonesian Men’s National Championships
48kg: Exel Karimela
51kg: Mario Blasius Kali
54kg: Yosua Holy Masihor
57kg: Nolvy Engkeng
60kg: Abraham Masihor
63.5kg: Fido Masoara
67kg: Libertus Gha
71kg: Antonius Manto Obisuru
75kg: Kore Fira
80kg: Brama Hendra Betaubun
86kg: Sandyarto Deno Feroja
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