STAND 6 aim to bring boxing back to the forefront of Sabah

Recently there's a surge of interest back to boxing. Boxing seems to take a back seat in popularity a few years back with the rapid growth of MMA becoming the most popular combat sports. Of course the hardcore fans of boxing still follow it's development.

BJJ and grappling arts dominated MMA as from the first UFC shows that grappling can neutralize an opponent's striking game. But of recent development, strikers are making a comeback in MMA. Strikers such as Conor McGregor, Stephen Thompson, Robbie Lawler, Joanna Jędrzejczyk, are showing that to stand and strike can win the fight in spectacular fashion.

In the local Malaysian MMA scene, strikers caught the attention as they put on great display of skills and techniques. In MIMMA4 we saw Sabahan boxers, brothers Effendy and Eddie Kalai perform in the Grand Finals. Eddie showing great display of techniques in his memorable fight with equally great striker in Seah Zhang Yu.

We also saw the epic Grand final fight between Sarawakian Jace Law vs Hui Keng Fai of Selangor. Both gave a remarkable display of boxing techniques. Also in the middleweight, Muhd Meeraj, a pro boxer continued his dominance with his fist.

In July 2017 WBC Boxing Fest was held in Mid Valley Kuala Lumpur, pitting some senior and upcoming Malaysian boxer in a grand event. The event venue was packed and was followed closely from many in the social media too.

STAND which is a promotion base in Kota Kinabalu aim to bring back the interest to boxing in the local combat sports scene, especially for Sabah. STAND started off it's first edition in April 2016 with focus on developing the striking art by organising events that mixed amateur K1 Kickboxing Tournament and amateur boxing.

The hype and attention that McGregor vs Mayweather brings certainly does a lot of help to the sports of boxing, hence comes the time to have an event that specially cater for boxers.

This Saturday 14 OCTBER 2017 , happening at the KARABAW HQ GYM in Kepayan 88 Market Place, Kota Kinabalu, more than 50 boxers has confirmed their participations. This is the 6th edition of STAND

6 weight category for men and 4 for women will be competed. As for kids category, Super Fights are scheduled to go down.

This boxing bouts is sanctioned by ISKA and will be 2 minutes of 3 rounds.

Junior Super Fights category will be feature in STAND 6

Below are the participants list:

Women
1. Erda 46kg - Rhino Fitness
2. Sherry Bingku 52kg – Team Karabaw KK
3. Amanda Wang 56kg –Team Karabaw KK
4. Leyvonne Grace 46kg –Team Karabaw Tamparuli
5. Baeby 46kg - Borneo Red Lion

Men 49kg
1. Mohd Latip Sopian - Wira Amatuer Boxing
2. Ahmad Sharifful - Eagle Boxing Club
3. Dexter Alex – Team Karabaw Tamparuli
4. Rajinus Sadah – Kinabalu Fighters

Men 52kg
1. Zul -Tims Muaythai Gym
2. Arick Apar - Tlb33
3. Jearexson Jenus –Team Karabaw Papar
4. Aron Aguilar - Noypi Boxing Club
5. Edwin Aping – Team Karabaw Keningau
6. Matthew Thien – Team Karabaw Keningau
7. Along - Borneo Red Lion
8. Adi Erawan –Team Karabaw Tamparuli

Men 56kg
1. Franky - Tim's Muaythai Gym
2. Ahmad Khairuness - Team Karabaw Papar
3. Eric - Rhino Fitness
4. Lanloo - Team Karabaw KK
5. Zizul - Borneo Red Lion
6. Sonwil Juandiego - Noypi Boxing Club

Men 60kg
1. Willybrord Paul - Bts Tambunan
2. Frederick Well -Tlb33
3. Brian Owen Oswald - Team Karabaw Papar
4. D Mezander -Team Ug Zero
5. Junaydi Siyuti – Team Karabaw Tamparuli
6. Kenny Chong - Kalai Bros
7. Kevin Costner Albert -Teamkarabaw Keningau

Men 64kg
1. Daniel Eldon - Bts Tambunan
2. Nazree Salim - Tlb33
3. Azrullah Sulaiman –Team Karabaw Papar
4. Mc May - Wira Amatuer Boxing

Men 69
1. Joachim Sinti –Team Karabaw KK
2. Adrian Junior -Tlb33
3. Oliver Ehan – Team Karabaw Papar
4. Mohammad Hudzaifah -Wira Amatuer Boxing

Men 75kg
1. Michael John - Noypi Boxing Club
2. Lee Jian Wei - Wira Amatuer Boxing
3. Samuel Johnson - Eagle Boxing Club

Men 81kg
1. Muhammad Irfan - 9x Boxing Club
2. Tristan Jimidol - Noypi Boxing Club
3. Mohd Hisyam - Team Ug Zero
4. Stanley David - Tlb33
5. Shamir Naim - Eagle Boxing Club
6. Andrew - Borneo Red Lion

Kids Fight
1. Daniel Tornado 40kg -Borneo Phoenix
2. Anwar Ridwan 29kg - Skas
3. Asyraf Danial 44kg – Revolution Gym
4. Daniel 44kg - Team Karabaw Papar
5. Azman 30kg - Team Karabaw Papar
6. Eddli 50kg - Revolution Gym
7. Adolf 50kg - Team Karabaw Papar
8. Kawai 40kg - Team Karabaw Papar
9. Affudin Sabi 32kg - Team Karabaw Tamparuli
10. Larry 32kg - Team Karabaw Papar

Junior Superfight
1. Oyan 60kg - Tim's Muaythai
2. Akmal Aizal 60kg – Team Karabaw Papar
3. Hamdin 47kg – 66 Unicorn
4. Siang-Siang 47kg – Team Karabaw Papar
5. Izzat Zachery 50kg – Team Karabaw Tamparuli
6. Mohd Shazwan 50kg - Eagle Boxing Club

According to Johnny Nguyen of Expertboxing.com
"Boxing is called the sweet science because you have to find this perfect balance, this mythical perfect place, between hitting and not getting hit.

The special requirement of this simultaneous contrast is what makes boxing so amazing. It requires technique, obviously, but so much more beyond that. Finesse? Slickness? Swagger? Art?

If it was just technique, they would call it science. But because there’s a little something extra that you have to put in with your technique, and something that’s hard to put a finger on, they call it a sweet science.

I guess I would say boxing is called the sweet science because puts on display the art of the counter-punch. You are evading a dangerous attack while at the same time landing that knockout shot. And it’s beautiful when you see it again and again."

The highlight of STAND will be the junior category where, young athletes are given an opportunity to execute the sweet science.

Borneo have many talents that need to be bring to the forefront. With platform such as STAND, amateur boxers can hone their skills and gain experience through many amateur fights. Let's hope STAND can unearth potential Champion one day

Coach Randell (middle) with his Team Karabaw preparing for STAND 6

Check out STAND FB page for fight card

Stephen: Their Action is Destroying My Boxing Career!

pix by shensnaps.com

In MIMMA season 2, saw a young lad from Sarawak making an impact and reached all the way to the grand finals to challenge the then middleweight defending champion Chong Jing Yi. Stephen Onn Jenggieng grew up in Mukah and was battling with weight issues when he was a teen. Enough of facing taunts and tease he decided to shed all the pounds to improve his health and self-confidence, by taking up martial arts. 

Bringing glory to Sarawak through MMA. Pix credit: YK Tang

Grand Finalist of MIMMA Season 2. Pix credit Mahesan Selladurai

“It started out because i thought it looked cool but then slowly, i appreciate the art, it teaches me the way of life, it teaches me lessons that i can never learn anywhere else, and now my objective is to showcase the beauty of my art, sharing what have learnt" Try to make the world see from my perspective through the art”

with his GYMBOX family. Stephen 5th from right

He took up Muaythai and became very proficient at it. Represented Sarawak in the national Fit Warriors Muaythai competition and won bronze. After 2014’s MIMMA, Stephen focus on his boxing training under Sarawak state coach Fred Mandangi whom he trained with at Gymbox. Boxing became his obsession and after winning the Golden Gloves in 2015 Stephen set his mind to become a national boxer, aiming to box for Malaysia in the 2017 SEA Games in KL. Inspired by his fellow Sarawakian, Sapok Biki whom represented Malaysia to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and brought fame to Malaysia in the 1998 KL Commonwealth Games.

Bringing glory to Sarawak through Muaythai

The 2015 Golden Gloves, Stephen fought as a Sarawak athlete even though he trained on his own in Gymbox, as boxers need to be assigned to a state. After this victory he was promised a spot to the Malaysia Cup that same year. But unfortunately he was later informed that there’s not enough budget to include him as they only have funds to send the SUKMA team. Instead he was promise to be send to a competition in Pesta Pulau Pinang.

He was advised to register under the association but as he waited for the form that never came, he canceled his Christmas holiday with his family to prepare for the tournament. Only to be told by text message two days before the tournament that the association was not able to send him due to lack of budget for his accommodation.

Stephen further disclosed, 

“Somewhere in between, I receive a phone call, an invitation to train in Bangkok, Thailand by this association, but I have to use my own money to fly there because the fund is only for the SUKMA athlete. I said I can’t make it coz I don’t have the money.

As I wait for them to send me for another competition, I asked if they are going to send any boxers to Malaysia Cup 2016, they said they have no plans for it.”

He then received an offer from a boxing club in Sabah to fight in the Mayor Cup in KK. If he wins it, then he has the chance to fight in Malaysia Cup. Stephen decided to jump on this opportunity as he knows that the only way he can proof his worth is by winning. Since he was not attached to any association back then, he took up the offer from Sabah.

He fought and won the Mayor Cup in dominating ways. But the victory was marred by a protest from the association from Sarawak, giving the reason that Stephen fought at Mayor Cup without their permission. Stephen disagrees, as he explained, 

Champion - Mayor Cup KK

Winning the Malaysia Cup selection in Keningau

“Firstly why do I need permission when I am not associated with them? There’s no contract signed. Secondly, I receive no allowance from them, there's always no funds allocated for me to send me for competition. How come I suddenly become their boxer?”

He was told to compete in the Malaysia Cup selection in Keningau in Sept this year. He went on and won the tournament and earned himself a spot to compete in the Malaysia Cup in Gerik Perak. But things started to get worst from there. Representing Sabah, Stephen’s team received a protest from the association in Sarawak that stated he had a disciplinary issue with them. The Sabah team relented and just wanted Stephen to fight and showcase his ability even though if he wins, the title will be under the association in Sarawak. But he was not even able to put on his boxing glove as Malaysia Boxing Association took the initial protest letter seriously and suspended Stephen.

Stephen is very disappointed with how he is treated and how this irresponsible association has crushed his dream to be in the national boxing squad. Stephen has proof his ability to box, and he only wanted to fight and win the Gold at SEA Games 2017 for Malaysia. 

Stephen is contemplating legal action on this and he is now in the process of hearing out legal advices from different party. He is out to seek justice for himself. We wish him well