The strength of South African boxing’s new guard will be on show this weekend when Roarke Knapp and Shervantaigh Koopman contest major international bouts on the “No Mercy” card at Emperors Palace.
With several top former champions having come to the end of the line, this is the chance for the young Turks to claim the high ground.
Fighting for Golden Gloves, Knapp is matched against Jorge Garcia Perez for the IBO junior-middleweight championship. Koopman, his stablemate, takes on Wendy Toussaint, the Haitian-born New Yorker.
Knapp has had an outstanding training camp and can’t wait to get going against his Mexican opponent. Not only does he enjoy boxing at Emperors Palace, he yearns for higher honours. Saturday’s showdown thus represents his biggest to date, a chance to strap the IBO belt around his waist and, perhaps more importantly, a chance to solidify himself as one of the dangermen of the division internationally.
Knapp’s entertaining style, based on high output and a solid punch, make him a must-watch boxer whose appealing backstory and tattooed physique add to his appeal.
But beating Perez is no given. He’s had almost twice as many fights – 33 to Knapp’s 19 – and carries heavy artillery. Twenty-four knockouts in his 29 wins suggests he doesn’t do overtime.
Unusually, Knapp has little idea of Perez’s style. He doesn’t watch video, preferring to leave that to trainer Vusi Mtolo.
Knapp has enormous praise for Koopman, who is more of a friend than a rival. Not only do they fight in the same division, the pair share a gym and trainer and have sparred many rounds together.
Following the maxim that iron sharpens iron, the two got the best out of each other in preparation for Saturday, taking their lumps and dishing several out to be in tip-top shape.
Koopman is much different to Knapp, more a classical boxer-puncher who sets traps and thrives on accurate punching. He’s matched tough against Toussaint, one of the stars of the Long Island boxing scene and a man who has no fears of hitting the road.
Toussaint has thrived in the vibrant New York fight scene and promoter Joe DeGuardia has promised a treat for SA fans.
“He has matured and really developed as a fighter. We have high expectations for him, and I believe the South African fans will enjoy him.”
With the fights starting at 7.30, fans are well advised to watch from early, not least because hot prospect Beaven Sibanda will be in action, fighting world-rated Siphamandla Baleni.
This is a real gut check for Sibanda and will go a long way towards confirming (or denying) the claims that he’s a star in the making.
Not forgetting the likely heavyweight slugfest between Juan Roux and Chris Thompson, both former SA champions looking to catch the eye of promoter Rodney Berman. Illness KO’d their scheduled fight earlier this year, so the anticipation has only ratcheted up in the interim.
TV: SuperSport Variety 4, Saturday, 7.30pm.
