THREE time world boxing champion Hekkie Budler will grace the boxing ring once again to open up the 2016 boxing calendar when he defends his world titles.
The Supercharged boxing tournament will take place on Saturday, March 19, at Emperors Palace and staged by .
Golden Gloves Promotions has over many years created some of the best boxers in the country and this year will not differ from the rest.
Topping the bill on Saturday evening will be Budler and Byron Rojas in a WBA/IBO minimumweight world championship clash. Budler who has been elevated to super champion in his weight will defend his titles against Nicaragua’s Rojas. Rojas’ record includes 16 fights, two losses, three draws and eight KOs. With his boxing style he will be hunting Budler from scratch, but Budler, who has been a champion since 2011 and who has only gone down once in the past 10 years has his own plan for Rojas.
“I am quite aware what he is up to, but I will not fall into his trap and I have various plans that I can fall back on in my fight,” said the diminutive Budler, “I have been training around the clock and will be prepared for everything that comes my way.”
Budler boasts a record of 30 fights, 29 wins, one loss and nine KOs. “I’ve long thought Hekkie is one of the world’s most underrated boxers. But he belongs in this sort of company (Super Status),” said Golden Gloves promoter, Rodney Berman.
The ever improving Paul Kamanga will be facing one of his toughest opponents of late when he climbs in the ring with Roman Belaev. “I have been waiting for this fight for a long time and I am in top condition. I will counter whatever he brings on.” The 22-year old from the South will get a shot in Las Vegas where all the top boxers fight as undercards if he pulls off a win against Belaev. They will fight for the WBA Pan African Welterweight title over 12 rounds.
Back in the ring for the long anticipated rematch are Warren Joubert from Alberton and Grant Fourie. Fourie will defend his SA/WBA Interim Pan African junior-welterweight title. “The title is staying right with me,” said Fourie who has no plans of signing it off to Joubert.
Building South African boxers for the future, Golden Gloves will feature one of their up and coming young boxing stars who for the first time will appear in a ‘big’ tournament. Joshua Studdard has a record of five wins and no losses and will show his finesse in the ring when he takes on Morabedi Khotle in the junior bantamweight division over six rounds. “He is a fighter who comes forward, but I will have a job to do and I will execute it,” said the young Studdard, who wants to add to his clean sheet record.
