Hero Tito, The 31st Indonesian Boxer Who Died After A Fight: No More To Follow, Hopefully This Will Be The Last

JAKARTA – The death of boxer Hero Tito is the tenth tragedy in the world of Indonesian sports, especially professional boxing. Hero whose real name is Heru Purwanto is a 35-year-old boxer from Malang. He died after losing by knockout to James Mokoginta in a boxing fight at Holywings Club SCBD Jakarta on Sunday night 27 February 2022.

The boxing event titled Holywings Sports Show Boxing was promoted by Amir Tan Promotions. He works closely with the owner of Hollywings Club SCBD who is none other than the famous lawyer, Hotman Paris Hutapea.

Hero was declared dead after being treated at Mitra Keluarga Kelapa Gading Hospital, North Jakarta in a coma for 4 days after being knocked out. Hero's departure leaves a wife, Didin Nurul Wijayanti and two daughters aged 13 and 5 years.

Hero's death certainly raises concern and grief within the Indonesian sports community, especially professional boxing players and addicts. The World's Best Boxing Facebook group which has 46 thousand members is filled with laudatory remarks. Likewise with the World Boxing group which has 108 thousand members, and many other groups.

According to VOI records, Hero is the 31st Indonesian boxer who died after competing in the ring. The following is a list of Indonesian boxers who died after fighting, since before independence.

The following is a list of Indonesian boxers who died after fighting:

1. 1948: Surabaya: Jimmy Koko (opponent: Meyer)
2. 1950: Surabaya: Rocky Wang/Ricky Huang (opponent: Vic Suatman)
3. 1959: Surabaya: Robby Pav (opponent: Mohammad Yali)
4. 1961: Sarono (opponent: Tan Hwa Soei)
5. 1978: Bandung: Atjeng Jim (opponent: Kai Siong)
6. 1979: Nasir Kitu (opponent: unlisted)
7. 1980: Syamsul Bachri (opponent: unlisted)
8. 1984: Jakarta: Domo Hutabarat (opponent: Dadang Krisna)
9. 1985: Suryanto (opponent: unlisted)
10. 1987: Jayapura: Agus Souissa (opponent: Michael Arthur)
11. 1988: Blitar: Wahab Bahari (opponent: Hudi Alamanda)
12. 1988: Suryanto (opponent: John Bonnex)
13. December 23, 1990, Bontang: Bongguk Kendy (opponent: Bisenti Santoso)
14. July 15 1993, Jakarta: Yance Samangun (opponent: Mahmud)
15. May 11, 1995, Jakarta: Akbar Maulana (opponent: Bugiarso)
16. June 16 2000, Jakarta: Dipo Saloko (opponent: Roy Saragih)
17. November 18, 2000, Belawan: Bayu Young Iray (opponent: Herianto Kalam)
18. March 11, 2001, Bekasi: John Namtilu (opponent: Hasan Purba)
19. April 2, 2001, Cibinong: Muhammad Alfaridzi (opponent: Kongthawat Ora Sorkiti)
20. October 28, 2001, Manado: D onny Maramis (opponent: Stenly Kalalo)
21. February 4, 2003, Jakarta: Johannes "Bones" Fransiscus (opponent: Slamet Nizar. Johannes died on 6 February 2003 after being treated at UKI Cawang Hospital, East Jakarta)
22. 21 September 2003, Balige North Sumatra: Mula Sinaga - Amateur Boxer - (opponent: Asahan Tuerino. Mula Sinaga died on 24 September 2003)
23. January 23, 2004, Jakarta: Antonius Jonathan Mosse (opponent: Kaichon Sor Vorapin)
24. February 19, 2004, Purwokerto: Jack Ryan (opponent: Syamsul Hidayat)
25. March 5, 2005; Jakarta: Hendrik Bira (opponent: Mones Arepas. Hendrik lost by TKO 3 in the fight 3 March 2005)
26. June 16, 2006, Manado: Fadly Kasim (opponent: Jibril Soamole. Fadly lost TKO 6)
27. March 15, 2007, Jakarta: Anis Dwi Mulya (opponent: Irvan Bone. Anis lost by TKO round 6, died on March 20, 2007)
28. March 31, 2012, Jakarta: Muhammad Afrizal alias Afrizal Cotto (opponent: Irvan Barita Marbun. Afrizal lost by unanimous points, and later died on April 4, 2012, after undergoing surgery in the head due to bleeding in the brain at UKI Hospital, East Jakarta)
29. November 16, 2012, Kupang: Oxon Palue (Opponent: Gerry Gio Toisuta. The result was a draw in 8 rounds. Oxon Palue then complained of leg cramps after the match, and was declared dead on 20 November 2012 in hospital)
30. January 27, 2013, Jakarta: Tubagus Setia Sakti (Opponent: Ical Tobida. Tubagus lost by TKO round 8 on 26 January. Tubagus suffered a brain hemorrhage, then died the following day)
31. February 27, 2022, Jakarta: Heru Purwanto alias Hero Tito (died after losing by the round 7 KO to James Mokoginta in a match at Hollywings Club SCBD Jakarta, Sunday night 27 February 2022 and died at Mitra Keluarga Hospital Kelapa Gading North Jakarta, Thursday 3 March 2022)

Responsibilities Supervision

Boxing circles see that fatalities in professional boxing activities are caused by less strict supervision. The government should be at the forefront of the issue of boxer safety oversight. Safety issues cannot be left to the boxing associations in Indonesia, of which there are now five. Neither to the promoter.

“Boxers are smart now. They can immediately take a shortcut to contact the promoter without the need for a manager. They think practically without thinking about the consequences,” said Rosa Kusuma, a professional boxing match stylist.

Rosa gave an example of Hero, who has a habit of managing his own battles.

“In the past, Heru used a manager, but now he immediately contacts the promoter. His training was out of control because he wasn't in the same gym. Heru trains members more for aerobic boxing rather than training specifically for matches," added Rosa.

Promoter Armin Tan also denied that it was mentioned that Hero was under his management at Armin Tan Boxing.

“Heru is not really my boxer. But because he was not under any gym, then he asked permission to take shelter under my management. My only consideration is pity, because Heru is in need of work. But I didn't expect his match to end sadly,” said Armin, who revealed that Hero's fee is IDR 25 million, plus a bonus of the same amount if he wins.

The Government's Role is Very Necessary

From Bangkok, boxer Daud Jordan, who is currently in self-isolation due to exposure to COVID-19, expressed his views on the tragedy of Hero Tito. Daud was supposed to compete in Bangkok, Thailand on March 4, but the plan was canceled after the boxer, who is also the chairman of KONI, North Kayong Regency, West Kalimantan, was exposed to COVID-19 before entering the ring.

“I know Heru very well, who was my coaching partner when I was training in Perth, Australia, and Bali. I know very well that he is the breadwinner of his family, as well as his wife's family. So I can also understand that Heru is desperately looking for money for his life,” said Daud.

“The problem here is surveillance. Both supervision from within Heru's boxing management, as well as external supervision from the Indonesian government. These two things must go hand in hand. We can not let a boxer alone determine his readiness to enter the ring. The government also has a big role to play in determining whether or not a boxer is fit to enter the ring, in terms of health checks, for example. As was the case in Bangkok, the Bangkok Boxing Commission, which is an arm of the government, intervened directly to take me into isolation," said Daud again.

Daud regretted the disbandment of the Indonesian Professional Sports Agency (BOPI), which should have played a major role in supervising professional sports activities in Indonesia, particularly combat sports.

“The accident that happened to Heru reminds us again that there is still a lot of homework for Indonesian professional boxing. I hope that the government will also highlight the Heru case and make a significant decision for the advancement of Indonesian professional sports," Daud added.

Anyone would hope that the tragedy of Hero Tito's death would be the last for the world of boxing in Indonesia. This hope has a high chance of being realized, one of which is if the government pays full attention to the high-risk and dangerous activities of professional boxing.