No ‘keep busy’ fight – Budler

Former multiple world champion Hekkie “The Hexecutioner” Budler has again come out strongly and emphasised there is no such a thing in boxing as a “keep busy” fight.

The popular 34-year-old pocket rocket (34 wins, 4 losses – 10 knockouts), is back on home turf again when he faces the highly-experienced Thai, Wichet Sengprakhon (14-11-1), in the headline bout on the impressive six-fight “Night of Champions” card at the Unisa Conference Centre in Ormonde, Johannesburg tonight.

It will be the fourth, and biggest, venture to date for the growing Boxing5 promotional consortium, kicking off a massive week for the sport locally.

Bigger picture

Although it is in essence a “keep busy” fight, his manager-trainer Colin Nathan, who heads up the Joburg-based No Doubt Management group, took the bout at catchweight after a succession of opponents were forced to pull out due to visa and other issues. But it’s perfectly plausible when one looks at the bigger picture.

Inconvenience and change of opponents aside, Budler remained unphazed. “I consider every fight a title fight and train accordingly and put in the hours. One has to beat whoever is put in front of you,” said Budler.

Boxing being as unpredictable as it is, a defeat now for the former multiple mini-flyweight and junior-flyweight world champion could scupper his chances of challenging WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine junior flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraj in Japan in August.

Budler was last in action in July last year when he defeated the highly-rated Mexican Elwin Soto in the latter’s own back yard in an official WBC elimination fight, so he can ill afford a sustained period of inactivity.

Following his surprise victory over Soto, the former IBO, WBA and IBF champion was installed as the mandatory challenger for Kenshiro’s WBC title bit the latter’s promoters activated a step-aside clause to take a unification option against the Puerto Rican WBO champion Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzales and the South African was paid a handsome sum of money. That fight never materialised after Gonzalez was injured.

WBC title

“I haven’t achieved everything I set out to achieve. I want to win every legitimate world title there is. I want those remaining two belts (WBO and WBC). That’s a goal I set myself. And I want to become a two-time Ring Magazine champion,” added the ultra-confident South African.

“With my age I still feel I have enough in the tank to be able to do it. Realistically, it’s actually only two fights away. Considering I’m still the No 1 contender for the WBC title, I have to stay active and win, so Colin has made a good business call.” 

At first glance, Budler’s opponent’s record may not seem like anything to rave about but it should be borne in mind that the Thai fighter is a hardened professional, and unlike Budler, has had no less than five fights in a 12-month period.

Ace matchmaker Abbeys Mnisi, in consultation with promoter Larry Wainstein has again come up with a cracking card which should have the fight fans in the 2500-seater arena on the edge of their seats.

Embassy red tape and visa delays unfortunately scuppered Deejay Kriel’s slated eight-round catchweight contest against Sandeep Kumar from India. 

Sikho “Sequence” Nqothole (16-2-10 kos), the WBO Global bantamweight holder, will be hoping to extend an impressive five-fight winning streak against the dangerous Boonrueang Phayom (10-2-0- 10 kos) from Thailand, himself an all-action big puncher with a high knockout ratio.

In what could easily be the fight of the night, SA Female Prospect of the Year ABU flyweight champion Smangele “Smash” Hadebe (12-3-2) will be in action against the experienced Phannaluk Kongsang from Thailand (8x two-minute rounds), with unbeaten Hedda “The Shredder” Wolmarans finally back in action, taking on Zambian-based Zimbabwean Monalisa Simon. 

Up-and-coming junior-lightweight Cayden Truter (6-0) will take on KwaZulu-Natal opponent Sandile Dumisa in a fight also relegated to catchweight status after the latter failed to make the weight, even after the one-hour grace period.