Budler defends two world titles
The massive outing will soon take place as Thunderbolt boxing tournament will be presented by Golden Gloves Promotion in Monte Carlo.
FROM a humble start at the Booysens Amateur club, Hekkie Budler has the world at his feet when he will defend his world title in three weeks.
The massive outing will soon take place as the Thunderbolt boxing tournament will be presented by Golden Gloves promotion in Monte Carlo on Saturday February 21.
The diminutive boxer will be defending his WBA and IBO minimum weight world titles against Jesus Silvestre in Monte Carlo. He has already built up a great following in Monaco. This will be his third appearance in defence of his titles.
Interest in the tournament runs high as one of the Golden Gloves boxers from Europe, Martin Murray from Merseyside, United Kingdom, will also be in action. Murray takes on the formidable WBS and IBO middleweight champion, Gennady Golovkin at the same venue. He is well known for his ability as a balanced boxer and the best equipped to take on the champion.
“He is a boxer who always comes forward and is a strong puncher,” said Hekkie Budler, “As always I have done my preparations and did it very well. If we stick to Colin’s (Nathans) plan, then we will do well on the night.”
Budler has developed a reputation as one of the world’s best boxers in the lighter weight divisions and one of the best boxers that South Africa has produced of late.
“We were looking to build him into another Lopez or Carbajal, who were popular boxers, and I truly think that he can become that,” said Rodney Berman, from Golden Gloves Promotions.
Golovkin holds the highest knockout percentage in the world title fighters of any active champion with a perfect 100 per cent.
“I am doing my preparations in South Africa, because the weather in England at this stage is not good training weather,“ said Murray, using Harold Volbrecht’s gymnasium as his base. “We know that he has a record of knockouts, but will have answers for all that comes my way.”
All in all the two boxers from Golden Gloves Promotions will have their work cut out in the ring. “He is one of the great boxers in the world. When knocked down in the previous fight, he got up and retained his world titles,” said Hotbox trainer Colin Nathan of his boxer.
In the meantime Jeff Ellis held his annual Christmas Cracker in December last year to raise funds for an automotive wheelchair for Ayden Dirksen (15), which was handed over to him at the press conference on Thursday January 29 at the Hotbox Gym.
