By Ron Jackson
South Africa’s Shervantaigh Koopman stopped his rugged Canadian opponent Brandon Cook in the fifth round of a junior middleweight bout scheduled for 12 rounds at Emperors Palace near Kempton Park on Saturday night to win the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) Intercontinental junior-middleweight title.
However, Koopman had to come back from a knockdown in in the first round when a left hook sent the South African down for an eight count.
Cook continued to press forward trying for an early stoppage and a right to the head made Koopman go down for the second time.
The gutsy and superbly conditioned South Africa held on and dropped Cook with a left followed on by a right hand for the third knockdown of the fight.
In rounds three and four the exiting action continued with Koopman scoring with some good shots early in the round.
This slam bang affair continued in round five and right hand sent the bloodied Cook down once again and after a right uppercut stunned Cook the referee Jean-Robert Lane waved the fight off at 2:59 into the round.
Koopman improves his record to 15-0; 10 and Cooks record dropped to 26-3.
Brandon Thysse wins SA junior middleweight title
In the main supporting bout Brandon Thysse 17-4-1; 13 won the vacant South Junior middleweight title when he stopped Nkhensahosi Makondo 9-7-1 in the eighth round.
In a fast paced fight Thysse was in control throughout with very little coming back from Makondo.
In the eighth round after a left hook and right stunned Makondo as he turned his back on Thysse and the referee stopped the fight. Time 1.06.
Ntethelelo Nkosi retains SA junior welterweight title
Ntethelelo Nkosi 7-2 retained the South African junior welterweight when he stopped Sanele Msimang 16-5 in the first round. Time 2:56.
Undercard:
Bonginkosi Nhlapo Won split decision 6 Tuvia Wewege (light heavyweight)
Dean Promnick Won split decision 6 Morgan Hunter (middleweight)
Juan Alberts W unanimous decision Pieter Breytenbach (heavyweight)
The tournament was presented by Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves Promotions
The best show of the evening was the opening bout, Dean Promnick against Morgan Hunter.
Was a good card for SA standards, but SA boxing has a long way to go to get anything close to what it used to be years ago, as can be said for the SA economy.