There’s nothing that Shervantaigh Koopman wants more than presenting himself with a perfect birthday gift in the form of the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) junior-middleweight belt.
Koopman, who turns 31 next Friday, is ready to add yet another title as he challenges current IBO junior-middleweight titlist Uisma dos Ramos Lima from Angola at the Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, on Saturday, 31 May.
“I have spent more than three months preparing for this fight and I can say that training has been going very well. I’m ready to win the title,” Koopman said.
The former South African junior-middleweight champion added: “This fight means a lot to me. I have always wanted to become a world champion and I’m going to become one on the 31st of May.”
On the 32-year-old Lima, who’s based in the Portuguese city of Lisbon, Koopman said: “I have watched the guy’s videos and he’s a very good fighter. He has done very well for himself.”
Koopman stopped Canadian boxer Brandon Cook in the fifth round to win the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) Intercontinental junior-middleweight title last October.
However, that was not an easy fight as the Germiston-based Koopman survived a first round scare after the Canadian had decked him twice.
Lima, who was born in Luanda, Angola, won the IBO title after he outpointed Canada-based Indian boxer Sukhdeep Singh Bhatti in Ontario, Canada, last November.
Koopman has won all his 15 fights with 10 of those wins coming from knockouts while Lima has a professional record of 13 victories with nine stoppages and a single loss.
Meanwhile, unbeaten heavyweight boxer Juan Alberts is set to collide against Brazilian Mateus Munhoz Matias da Penha in the same tournament.
Alberts, who stopped Malawian opponent Mcheni Briton in the second round in Cape Town last month, has an unblemished record of four wins with three knockouts.
On the other hand, Penha is a Brazilian heavyweight champion and will be fighting for the first time outside his native Brazil. The 29-year-old Brazilian from Sao Paulo has chalked up seven victories with three stoppages, a loss and a draw. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
