Rodney Berman knows a thing or two about prizefighting in his over 40 years as a boxing promoter. Having promoted fighters and fight cards in South Africa, Berman has a keen eye for talent.
Berman is very high on once-beaten Roarke Knapp and is convinced he can achieve success as a contender overseas.
Knapp will face Ahmed El Mousaoui Saturday night at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, South Africa, not far from his home in nearby Edenvale. The 10-round fight will air live on SuperSport throughout South Africa.
The 24-year-old Knapp (15-1-1, 11 knockouts) is coming off his most-impressive win, on paper, defeating former world junior lightweight title challenger and lightweight contender Dante Jardon of Mexico City by unanimous decision on December 10.
The win over Jardon took place about six months after defeating Brandon Thysse by split-decision. The win avenged Knapp’s only defeat, which was a knockout loss to Thysse in November 2019. Since the loss to Thysse, Knapp has reeled off six consecutive wins, four by knockout.
Knapp has fought on cards promoted by Berman since 2017. Berman has seen Knapp develop into a solid prospect who has the ability to contend in a very competitive junior middleweight division.
“Although Ahmed boasts an excellent record, we are expecting a Knapp victory, surely elevating him (into) the WBC top-10,” Berman told The Ring earlier this week. “(Roarke) cannot afford to falter and I think we will see a future champion/ contender in action.”
El Mousaoui (34-4-1, 8 KOs), who resides in Aulnay-sous-Bois, France, lost by split decision to countryman and unbeaten David Papot in his last bout on June 4. He had won his previous 10 fights since losing to Celestino Rodriguez, also by split decision, in December 2016.
The 32-year-old also has a unanimous decision loss to former WBO world welterweight titleholder Jeff Horn and decision wins over former WBC world junior welterweight titleholder Junior Witter and Javier Molina.
Also on the card is a compelling 10-round fight between junior bantamweights Ricardo Malajica and Adrian Lerasan of the Philippines.
Malajica (10-2, 8 KOs), who resides in Johannesburg, stopped Sihle Jelwana in his last bout on December 10. The 24-year-old has won three of his last four bouts, all by knockouts.
Lerasan (12-4, 5 KOs) stopped previously-unbeaten Nattapong Jankaew in his last bout on August 19. The southpaw, who resides in Manilla in the Philippines, has won his last five bouts since losing by decision to Dave Apolinario in June 2019.
“(Malajica-Lerasan) is an interesting undercard fight,” said Berman. “Lerasan is ranked No. 10 by the WBC, but we have a lot of confidence in Malajica, who was one of South Africa’s most decorated amateurs. A star will be born this Saturday.”
Shervantaigh Koopman (10-0, 7 KOs) of Pretoria will square off against Jackson Kaptein (6-1-1, 4 KOs) in a 12-round junior middleweight bout.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for BoxingScene since September 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing