WBC Title Challenger Hannah Rapp, 26, Killed in Texas Bicycle Crash; Driver Charged With Manslaughter

Hannah Rapp, a rising professional boxer who challenged for a WBC world championship just last month, died Saturday morning after being struck by a car while riding her bicycle in Brazos County, Texas, according to the Brazos County Sheriff's Office. She was 26.

According to the sheriff's office, Rapp was riding along a highway when a car passed her before suddenly coming to a stop, shifting into reverse and striking her. She was transported to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

The driver of the vehicle, identified by police as 31-year-old Charles Medina, was arrested and charged with manslaughter. He was being held at the Brazos County Detention Center as of Saturday.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman issued a statement mourning Rapp's death on behalf of the organization. "The loss of Hannah Rapp leaves us heartbroken," Sulaiman wrote. "She was an exceptional boxer, but above all, an invaluable member of our boxing family. We join in the grief that overwhelms her loved ones, her team, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and supporting her throughout her brilliant career."

Rapp, who fought professionally under the nickname "Hanarchy," was a native of Yorktown, Indiana, and competed as a track athlete at Purdue University before transitioning to boxing. She relocated to College Station, Texas, where she turned pro in 2024 while working full-time as a fire and life safety inspector at Texas A&M University, balancing her budding boxing career with a demanding day job.

Rapp built a professional record of 8-0-1 before earning a shot at one of the sport's biggest opportunities. In June, she challenged Tiara Brown for the WBC women's featherweight world championship at MVPW-04, an event held at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando as part of the Most Valuable Promotions banner co-founded by Jake Paul. Rapp turned in a spirited performance against Brown but ultimately lost by unanimous decision, a result that brought her professional record to 8-1-1.

Brown, the reigning champion Rapp faced in that bout, paid tribute to her former opponent in a comment on an Instagram post from Most Valuable Promotions honoring Rapp's memory. Brown described Rapp as "the best dance partner I have ever faced as a pro," recalling a moment before their fight that stuck with her. "When she asked for my autograph, it filled my heart because we were getting ready for war, yet she was still asking for my autograph," Brown wrote. "It made me smile, we fought a GREAT fight for the fans from the 1st bell to the last! It was my honor to share the ring with her."

Rapp's death comes at a moment of growing visibility for women's professional boxing, with high-profile promotions like Most Valuable Promotions helping bring increased attention and larger stages to fighters like Rapp and Brown. Her June title challenge represented one of the biggest opportunities of her still-young career, arriving less than two years after she turned professional.

The circumstances of Saturday's crash, particularly the account of the vehicle stopping and reversing before striking Rapp, are expected to factor into the ongoing investigation and the manslaughter charge filed against Medina. Authorities have not released additional details regarding a potential motive or the specific sequence of events leading up to the crash beyond the initial account provided by the sheriff's office.

Rapp's death adds to a string of tragic losses within combat sports and the broader Texas cycling community, where bicyclist fatalities involving motor vehicles have remained a persistent public safety concern across the state in recent years. Advocacy groups and local news outlets in Texas have periodically tracked such incidents, though Saturday's crash carries added weight within the boxing world given Rapp's rising profile following her championship bout just weeks earlier.

Rapp's transition from collegiate track athlete to professional boxer reflected a path increasingly common among fighters entering the sport later in their athletic careers, often bringing conditioning and competitive experience from other disciplines. Her willingness to maintain a full-time job in fire and life safety inspection while pursuing a professional boxing career also drew attention within the sport, illustrating the financial realities many fighters face even while competing at a championship level.

Tributes to Rapp continued to circulate across social media and combat sports outlets following news of her death, with fans and fellow fighters recalling both her performance against Brown in June and her broader reputation within the boxing community as a determined and well-liked competitor. Her death was first widely reported by ESPN boxing writer Andreas Hale early Saturday, drawing immediate reaction from figures across the sport, including Sulaiman's statement on behalf of the WBC.

No additional public statements had been issued as of Saturday by Most Valuable Promotions, Rapp's promotional company, or by Texas A&M University regarding her death. Funeral and memorial arrangements had not yet been announced.

Rapp's death leaves the women's featherweight division mourning the loss of one of its promising young contenders just weeks after she competed for its top title. Her professional career, though brief, included a notable championship-level performance that earned respect from her opponent and drew praise from boxing's governing bodies, a legacy that fighters and fans within the sport are now working to honor in the wake of her sudden death.