US professional boxer Hannah 'Hanarchy' Rapp has died at the age of 26 after a driver allegedly reversed into her bicycle during a morning ride in Texas.
The featherweight contender was cycling with another rider on FM 159 in Brazos County, shortly before 10am on Saturday 18 July, when the collision happened. Rapp was taken to hospital but died from her injuries. The driver, 31-year-old Charles Medina, has been arrested and charged with manslaughter.
Driver Arrested After Fatal Texas Collision
Investigators said Medina initially drove past Rapp and the second cyclist before stopping his vehicle in the roadway. He then allegedly shifted into reverse and accelerated towards the riders, striking Rapp while she remained on her bicycle. Authorities have not publicly identified a motive, and the circumstances surrounding the encounter remain under investigation.
Medina was taken into custody following the incident and booked on a manslaughter charge. His bail was later set at $250,000, according to booking and court information cited in local coverage. The sheriff's office described the collision as an isolated incident and said there was no continuing threat to the public.
Rapp, who lived in College Station, had been building momentum in professional women's boxing under the nickname 'Hanarchy'. She held a record of eight wins, one loss and one draw, with five victories by knockout.
Rapp Recently Challenged For A World Title
Just five weeks before her death, Rapp challenged undefeated champion Tiara Brown for the WBC women's featherweight title at MVPW-04 in Orlando, Florida. She entered the 13 June bout unbeaten at 8-0-1 before losing by unanimous decision in the first defeat of her professional career.
The fight represented the biggest opportunity of Rapp's career and placed her on an all-women's championship card promoted by Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions. Despite the result, Brown later described Rapp as the best opponent she had faced, reflecting the respect the challenger earned during their ten-round contest.
Rapp had previously competed in track and field at Purdue University before turning towards boxing during the COVID-19 pandemic. She graduated in 2022 with a degree in environmental and ecological engineering and later moved from Indiana to Texas, where she trained with Bryan Boxing Club while working as a fire and life safety inspector at Texas A&M University.
In an interview published shortly after her world-title fight, Rapp said: 'I have always said my goal in this sport is to be the best that I can be.' She added that success was not solely defined by championships, but by the effect she could have on people through her career.
Boxing Community Pays Tribute
Tributes spread across the boxing world after news of Rapp's death emerged. Most Valuable Promotions remembered her as both a gifted fighter and a deeply valued member of its community, while Jake Paul shared a brief tribute calling her a 'warrior'.
The World Boxing Council also mourned Rapp, describing her as an exceptional athlete whose dedication and personality had made a lasting impression. WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán said the organisation had lost 'an invaluable member of our boxing community'.
Rapp's final Instagram posts showed her spending time in her hometown of Yorktown, Indiana, shortly before returning to Texas. Her death came while she was emerging from the most high-profile fight of her career, leaving colleagues, supporters and the wider women's boxing community mourning a contender whose rise had only just reached the world stage.
