Battle in the Plains contender, Karriem, carves her own path to success

While romantics count down the days to roses, chocolates, and candlelit dinners, for Saarah Karriem, 22, from Lotus River, the night before Valentine’s Day hits different.

Friday, February 13, at the Retreat Civic Centre, romance takes a back seat and real passion steps into the ring, where pain is part of the promise and every punch speaks louder than words. Here, love isn’t soft or sweet — it hurts. It comes wrapped in leather gloves, sharp jabs, and uppercuts. It’s Battle in the Plains 2, stacked with a bumper line-up of the Cape’s hardest-hitting fighters on the card: Manenberg’s Wassim Chellan, Heideveld’s Shameeg Williams, Mika-eel Jacobs from Mitchell’s Plain, and Karriem, who headlines the women’s division.

Following the success of the first instalment in Mitchell’s Plain in December, every effort was made to keep the momentum going with what’s shaping up to be another boxing banger. When red tape and a lack of support from city officials blocked them from securing a venue in Mitchell’s Plain, event organisers Warrior Ascent Promotions moved fast and found an alternative spot to keep the flame alive.

Which, says Karriem, is exactly what fans can expect.

“Absolute fireworks — I always put on a show and am definitely bringing the heat,” she said.

While putting on a good show in front of her home crowd may be top of her mind, Battle 2 represents more than just an opportunity to exchange blows; it’s about inspiring and uplifting young girls and women to chase after their own dreams, said Karriem.

Growing up in a community with limited opportunities, she understands how much impact strong role models can have, both inside and outside the ring.

“I’d love to change the dynamic of women’s boxing in the best way possible,” she said, hoping to emulate SA crowd favourite and former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion Dricus du Plessis, Ireland’s Katie Taylor, the undisputed world lightweight champion, and Guinness World Record holder Amanda Serrano from Puerto Rico, who has won major titles in seven different weight divisions.

“The biggest misconception people have about female boxers is that we are less skilled, less exciting, or considered ‘soft’, which is absolutely not true,” she said.

“A female boxer that I look up to a lot is definitely Katie Taylor, as she is an overachiever and wants to be the best at everything she does,” said Karriem.

“I look up to Alycia Baumgardner — she is so fierce and is scared of absolutely no one — as well as Amanda Serrano. She makes me believe that anything is possible if I put my mind to it,” she said.

“My favourite male boxer is Dmitry Bivol, as he has a flawless Soviet style, as well as Salvador Sanchez, my other favourite boxer,” she said.

While admiring the world’s boxing greats, Karriem is carving her own path to success.

With two wins under her belt in a relatively short period as a professional, the young fighter has collected several accolades over the years. She is a South African National Boxing Organisation (SANABO) bronze medallist, holds Cape District and Western Cape K1 championship titles, and is a Ring Contact Fighting Arts (RCFA) kickboxing champion.

“I was always involved in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), watching my dad train in the gym as a little girl,” said Karriem, the eldest of four siblings, all of them fighters.

Growing up, she says she had zero interest in boxing, but an offer to fight for a bantamweight title two years ago proved hard to resist, allowing her to make the switch from kickboxing to boxing.

“Kickboxing came naturally to me, and I really wanted to get better at boxing; that’s when I discovered that there is more to it than just using your hands,” she said.

As any champion might know, gearing up for a fight requires sacrifice, discipline, and maintaining a strict regimen.

However, juggling work commitments, training, and social life can be challenging, she said, but clever time management helps.

“I plan my day or week out every Sunday. If I don’t plan, my whole week is ruined because everything feels all over the place,” she said.

Thankfully, the whole family is in her corner, with her father, Zain, her trainer and motivator-in-chief.

"As Saarah’s manager and trainer, we put her through the wringer. She trains very hard, twice a day,” he said.

“Her training is all-around pad work and bag work — the staples of any boxing gym. We focus on her offensive drills, footwork, and, of course, road work. She also follows a strength and conditioning programme with a qualified sports scientist, and we’re already seeing great results,” he said.

For his spirited daughter, the motivation to box goes beyond titles and recognition.

“I love the thrill of getting in the ring, feeling that adrenaline — my mind is just not clouded at all,” she said.

Event details:

Battle in the Plains 2

Friday, February 13

Doors open at 5pm

Tickets are R100 each and available from Quicket

Use the promo code Karriem20 and pay only R80