Like other boxing greats, Knapp can still bounce back

Razor comes up against Filipino after defeat

Roarke ‘Razor ’ Knapp beat Benoit Vela from the DRC by TKO on the third round at Emperors Palace in this June 2021 picture.
Roarke ‘Razor ’ Knapp beat Benoit Vela from the DRC by TKO on the third round at Emperors Palace in this June 2021 picture.
Image: James B Gradidge

Being undefeated in boxing is overrated. In fact, some of the greatest boxers in history – Muhammad Ali, “Sugar” Ray Leonard and “Iron” Mike Tyson – all bounced back from defeats to become better versions of themselves.

The same can still be achieved by Roarke “Razor” Knapp. He returns to action on December 6 at Emperors Palace after suffering a third-round knockout loss to hard-hitting Mexican Jorge "Chino" Garcia Perez in front of shocked fans at the same Kempton Park venue on June 24.

The 26-year-old former International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Youth and African Boxing Union (ABU) junior middleweight champion will welcome Adones Cabalquinto from the Philippines over 10 rounds in the Golden Gloves event.

Cabalquinto, 36, has boxed 174 rounds in 29 fights with 16 knockouts in 26 wins against three losses. He won his last three fights on points. He’s, however, yet to earn recognition by the IBO ratings committee, which has Knapp on the No 20 spot in the top 100 rated contenders for Perez’s belt.

The Mexican handed Knapp his second loss, which was also his second stoppage – the first being to Brandon “Fast Guns” Thysse in 2019. 

But Knapp, whose skills are polished at Brain Mitchell Boing Academy by Vusi Mtolo and Charlton Koopman, bounced back more stronger and wiser to chalk up eight straight wins, one of which was against Thysse for the ABU belt in 2022, until he met Perez.

He was badly hurt and took some time resting in his corner before the announcement of the verdict. It’s been four months now since Knapp last fought, and he should be ready to show that he was still a force to be reckoned with.

Like in any sport, winning and losing is all part of the boxing game. However, there is a natural tendency to avoid losing at all costs. No one likes to lose, it’s a challenging experience, which is why an extra amount of care goes into protecting a boxer’s record, particularly early in their career.

As a result, boxers are often brought up rather carefully. The opposition is meticulously selected, weighing the balance between risk and reward.

SowetanLIVE


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