Knapp on the cusp of making IBO history

Roarke Knapp stands to become the first SA boxer to win the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) belt in the junior middleweight when he takes on Jorge Garcia Perez for that organisation's vacant title at Emperors Palace on Saturday.

Established in 1998 by Edward Levine, the US-based body began working with SA the same year it was established.

The IBO paved way for Cassius Baloyi, Takalani Ndlovu, Hekkie Budler, Nkosinathi Joyi, Moruti Mthalane and Kevin Lerena to fight for IBF and WBA titles.

Baloyi won the IBF junior light belt; Ndlovu became that organisation's junior featherweight champ. Budler added the WBA super and The Ring Magazine magazine junior flyweight titles in his collection while Joyi captured the IBF flyweight crown.

Now the spotlight falls on Knapp whose career has been guided by Golden Gloves Promotions (GGP).

Knapp has endeared himself to thousands of fans with his truthfulness to himself as a fighter and the “Palace of Dreams” in Kempton Park is his happy-hunting ground

His 12-rounder against the 27-year-old Mexican — whose knockout record of 24 in 29 wins suggests that he punches like a mule — will headline Golden Gloves “No Mercy” international tournament.

Perez has lost four times, but the WBO Inter Continental champion from Los Mochis, Sinaloa, is yet to be stopped within scheduled distance.

Knapp, the former IBO Youth champion, has gone through the proper development stages of a fighter.

Fierce competition against Erik Mukadi, Brandon Thysse (twice), Cristiano Ndombassy and Dante Jardon sharpened the “Razor”, as Knapp is known, in such that the IBO's Championship Committee had no qualms sanctioning him for its title.

It is by no favour that the IBO's Ratings Committee placed him on the No 12 rankings, ahead of Perez, who occupies the 24th position.

With only a single loss to Thysse, Knapp, who is trained by Vusi Mtolo at Bran Mitchell Boxing Academy in Edenvale, has stopped 12 of his 17 victims.