Might I suggest a treat this weekend?
You need not be a boxing fan, but if athletic excellence impresses you, I recommend you watch Hekkie Budler fight.
(The tournament is live on SS Select, ch 210, from 7.30pm).
At Emperors Palace on Saturday he boxes as a professional for the 31st time. If you don’t know anything about Budler, these are the pertinent facts:
- He is by common consent the best boxer at his weight in the world.
- He’s tiny – around 47kg – and fights in the lightest division.
- He’s lost just one fight in the last 10 years (by split decision).
- He is Brian Mitchell’s favourite local fighter.
Despite having held a version of the world championship since 2011, only now is he moving beyond the boxing realm into the public consciousness at large. This is no doubt on account of his size – fans tend to have a greater appreciation of bigger fighters – and the understanding that he is a genuine world beater.
As his promoter Rodney Berman says, “If he was a heavyweight, he’d be a superstar.”
Budler isn’t a devastating puncher; he tends to win his bouts by simply overwhelming his opponents through his high workrate. He’s busy and accurate and has the ability to slip through the gears when he needs to.
He can also adjust, as he did in Monte Carlo two years ago when Chinese challenger Chao Zhong Xiong dumped him on his backside in the second round.
It was unfamiliar territory for the West Rand fighter – he had never been down as a pro – but he battled on, recalibrated his game and put Xiong over in the next round before riding out a comfortable points win.
Despite beating a global cast of challengers from places such as the Philippines, Columbia, Thailand and Argentina, his best fights have been against local rivals. Former world champion Nkosinathi Joyi tore into him in a memorable 12-rounder in 2013, but Budler showed smooth skills on his way to a famous points win.
In his last defence, against the Eastern Cape’s Simphiwe Khonco six months ago, he conceded the early rounds before dominating the second half in a rousing fight of the year contender. Ironically, he and Khonco are now stablemates and give each other first-class sparring.
These were fights Budler could easily have lost, but from his early days as a rough-and-tumble operator, Budler has matured under trainer Colin Nathan’s careful hand. The two biggest changes have come in his defence, which has tightened up, and his fight management. Not only does he know how to win, he knows how to execute the required game plan. His inner will is also unmatched. He grew up tough on the mean streets of Newlands. he also fights tough.
As accomplished as Budler is, his finest quality is his sense of humanity. He is the kindest, most accommodating fighter I have known. His patience, friendliness and attitude make him one of boxing’s supreme ambassadors.
He is one of the gems of South African sport.
Go on, see for yourself.