Sara Koops was one of the 29 participants of the Chapter 1NE Box clinic: an intensive 10 week training programme organised for young adults as part of the Chapter exhibition with Edson Sabajo and Guillaume ‘Gee’ Schmidt (founders of Patta) in 2019.

The Box clinic was led by the two-time undefeated World Boxing Champion and five-time Kickboxing World Champion Michele Aboro, who is now running the Aboro academy in Shanghai, making it a once-in-a-life time opportunity for anyone interested in boxing. The programme was unique for a number of other reasons as well – especially for Sara as it meant the start of her own professional boxing career. Het HEM looks back at it with her a couple of weeks before she flies out to Hungary to fight a Serbian opponent.

Recommened listening for this article is the album Liquid Swords by GZA.

“In retrospect I value the Box Clinic even more. It was not only the place where the idea of going professional was planted, but it was the start of an entire new chapter in my life. I realise now that I was part of something much bigger.”

Het HEM: Sara, it’s so great to hear that you continued boxing after the clinic at a professional level. The set-up of Michele Aboro’s clinic was so special, with the trainings literally taking place inside the exhibition space in a training area and boxing ring designed by the artist Gabriel Lester. For your warm up, you would run laps around installations by Roxanne Capriles, Erik van Lieshout and Farida Sedoc. Visitors were invited to watch you sweat. We even built showers and changing rooms inside the exhibition space! I’m so curious how this experience was for you; how do you look back to the clinic?

Sara Koops: As an incredibly beautiful period; a mix of discovering new art, people and of course boxing. Everything really changed for me at Het HEM. I got introduced to Michele Aboro. During a dinner after the Boxing Gala, she asked if I had ever considered boxing professionally. Staying with the amateurs would not give me anything more considering my age. So after much contemplation, and COVID-19, I decided together with my coach Do (Orlando Gemerts, who was also a coach during the clinic) to jump the gun and just go for it! In order to box professionally you need a licence. Michele also helped with that. She vouched for me and reached out to the organisation to make sure I received my licence.

Regarding the motto of Chapter 1NE ‘Can’t be greedy… You gotta take some, and leave some’, Edson and Gee definitely left something behind for me. I started my own new chapter. I’m incredibly grateful to them for that. But also for the entire Het HEM team. The location breathes culture. I’m a big hiphop fan, so I thought it was amazing how everything – music, art, boxing – came together in one place. It was the first time I ever participated in such a project. I very much enjoyed being part of such a diverse group, and I loved how much attention there was on the mental aspect of boxing, through the yoga classes and group conversations.

"It was the first time I ever participated in such a project. I very much enjoyed being part of such a diverse group, and I loved how much attention there was on the mental aspect of boxing."

HH: Wow, that’s amazing to hear! How did you hear about the Box Clinic in the first place and why did you decide to join?

SK: I heard about it through Do, who was already my trainer in Amsterdam and who has known Michele for a long time. I looked Michele up online, read about her and watched videos such as the Dutch documentary “A Knockout”. She was the reason I wanted to participate. She is a real fighter, who has fought herself free. She doesn’t compromise in her ideals and stays close to herself and her own principles, which is hard in the tough boxing world where you are expected to look and act in a certain way. She stood her ground at a high price.

"Michele is the reason why I joined the clinic. She doesn't compromise in her ideals and stays close to herself, which is hard in the tough boxing world."

HH: Yes, Michele is a real force - fighting not only strong opponents, but also prejudices and breast cancer. I am also curious how it felt to box inside the Chapter 1NE exhibition. Did the training area by Gabriel Lester or any other works in the exhibition inspire you in any way?

SK: It really felt like we were part of the exhibition. We were not standing on the sidelines but embodied a part of it, which was very special and fun. I often think back on the high pillars and spaces in Het HEM - the laps we made along the big windows and through the artworks. That really stayed with me. It was a cinematic setting, especially if the ominuous sound of Lester’s installation was on: a gong with various rhythmic sounds which changed in intensity. I really liked the set up of all the other artworks - it felt natural. I grew very fond of the installation by Quentley Barbara, which I passed everyday when going to training. But I also liked the video work by Sanford Biggers in the basement and Sanlé Sory’s photos. Overall the entire theme of the Chapter very much appealed to me. The aftermath of colonial history’s effects on today’s society and the grief that’s associated with it concerns me deeply. I liked how all the works addressed that, each in their own way.

HH: Do you see a relationship between art and boxing?

SK: I definitely see a connection. Boxing is a noble art of self-defence. Besides physical strength, technique, accuracy, you train mental and spiritual awareness. I also see that with artists, who just like boxers work on their bodily awareness. You need to be really determined to find the focus within yourself and then be able to open up and show that to an audience. When you enter the ring or exhibit your work, you bring all of yourself to the stage. You're on display; everyone is watching, everything you do is judged. You become entertainment. Boxing is about out-smarting your opponent. You focus solely on your opponent and the fight at that moment, but when you think about it, it also involves great vulnerability. You give a piece of yourself away; it’s a form of expression. Besides the similarities in the process and self-development, I also think that boxing is a beautiful sport to watch, aesthetically it’s very pleasing.

"Boxing involves great vulnerability. You give a piece of yourself away; it’s a form of expression."  

HH: What did the clinic give you or add to you in terms of experiences and social relationships? Are you still in touch with anyone from the clinic, besides Orlando and Caby, who are still your trainers?

SK: Boxing really became a way of life for me. It was always already important to me, but after the clinic it gained another meaning. I have now completely surrendered myself to it. I train whenever I find the time for it, take rest and eat well.

I still see some of the participants who live in or around Amsterdam. I see Oscar Melo every Wednesday during training at Fight Academy Amstelveen in Amsterdam. I sometimes also meet with Isa Hinlopen and Myrthe van Dijk, who among others have supported me at the Ben Bril Boxing gala in Carré - the biggest boxing competition in the Netherlands. Max Nacer goes to all of my competitions, which I very much appreciate. Whenever I can, I also try and swing by No Man’s Art Gallery where Emmelie Koster works. I speak to Michele a bit less as she is based in Shanghai, but we still call each other every now and then.

HH: So now let’s jump to the moment when you decided to take your boxing to the next level. It was during COVID-19, a funny period to make such big decision. How did you continue?

SK: Yes, the circumstances were pretty bizarre. I continued training outside on a green field on the outskirts of Amsterdam, come rain or shine. At first I was training in a parking garage below my apartment, but then police officers sent us away. I think some neighbours disapproved of it concerning the 1,5 meter regulations, and then told the police. So we had to do it secretly. As COVID-19 lingered on for so long, I grew quite frustrated. I really want to start fighting professionally and felt time was ticking - I was only getting older. It was a hard time for everyone in the sports, just as it was for arts and culture of course. I was about to almost give up, until then finally we could start.

HH: How is your life different now than before becoming a pro?

SK: I live my life much more consciously, with more focus. I also walk around with so much gratitude– for my body, my health, and the people around me who support me in my career. I keep finding it so special that everyone is so committed to helping me. Practically it has also made my life much clearer: there is not much time left for me to do anything besides training and working! I can’t live from boxing yet unfortunately so I’m still working four days a week at Ministry of Internal Affairs in The Hague. Whenever I can I’ll try and visit BIMHUIS, Paradiso or Concertgebouw and go see hiphop, jazz or classical music performances.

"During training periods I listen to a lot of music. In preparation for a fight in 2022, I revisited all the Wu-Tang Clan albums."

HH: That brings me to my next question about any preparatory rituals you might do or any thoughts you might have before a fight. Is there something that helps you get in the zone?

SK: I actually try not to think about anything in particular. That’s the beauty of the sport; you are completely focused on what you have to do and enter a slowdown of things. You complete go out of your body and mind. A couple of days before a game I don’t train anymore. I just do Nidra and Yin yoga. Nidra yoga is a practice where you just lie down on the floor and don’t do anything. Someone else takes you on a mental journey. I can highly recommend!

During training periods I listen a lot to music. In my preparations for the fight with Jorina Baars – a big name in kickboxing and who was my opponent in my second fight - I revisited all the Wu-Tang Clan albums. I now very much associate certain Wu-Tang songs with that particular fight. In fact, after the gala I tattooed their name on my lip as a trophy!

HH: Love that. Okay, so it sounds like your career is going very well. You have it all set up for a big success. How do you see yourself in the future?

SK: At the moment I’m very focused on my own career. In the future I would like to contribute to the world of boxing in helping others. As a younger girl I would have liked to have role models like Caby or Michele. Having them by my side now really inspires me. I hope I can do the same for others one day. As soon as I can start making a living out of boxing, I will go full steam ahead and dedicate myself to supporting others and the sport in general. Boxing has brought me so much, and I really would like others to benefit from it as well. Now boxing is only really popular in the US or the UK, and I hope it grows in popularity here more. In that sense, the motto of the Chapter still very much resonates with me. The generosity was so big, so heartfelt. I look for gratitude in the small things in life and try to pass it on to others.

"As soon as I can start making a living out of boxing, I will go full steam ahead and dedicate myself to supporting others and the sport in general."

HH: So where can we see you next after your game in Hungary?

SK: On October 16th, 2023, I’m participating again at the Ben Bril Boxing gala in Carré Amsterdam. This year it’s the 15th year anniversary. Everyone can all buy a ticket. I can really use the support, it would mean a lot to me if you were there!