BUDLER DUE TODAY FOR SEPT. 16 FIGHT

Budler is fighting IBF light flyweight titleholder Milan Melindo in Pinoy Pride 42 main event next week

Hekkie Budler, along with his trainer Colin Grant Nathan, is set to arrive at the Mactan-Cebu In- ternational Airport in Lapu-Lapu City at 4:20 p.m.

Budler will challenge International Boxing Federation (IBF) light flyweight titleholder Milan Melindo in the main event of Pinoy Pride 42 “Clash for Glory” on Sept. 16 at the Waterfront Hotel and Casino.

Boxing fans will get a glimpse of Budler in action in a public workout in Ayala Center Cebu on Saturday at 5 p.m.

The 29-year-old Budler is a former World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) mini-fly- weight champion. He owns wins over former world champions Nkosinathi Joyi, Florante Condes and Chao Zhong Xiong. He is coming off an eighth-round stoppage over Pinoy prospect Joey Canoy last February.

Budler, ranked No. 6 by the IBF, is 31-2 with 10 knockouts. His losses are from fellow South African Gideon Buthelezi by split decision and from Byron Rojas by unanimous decision.

Melindo captured the interim IBF light flyweight belt with a unanimous decision over Fahlan Sakkreerin last November at the Cebu Coliseum.

The 29-year-old Cagayan de Oro native finally silenced his doubters with an easy first-round knockout of Akira Yaegashi in May in Japan.

Melindo is 36-2 with 13 knockouts.

The show also features an exciting all-Filipino fight between former two-division world champion Johnriel Casimero (24-3, 15 KOs) and promising Jonas Sultan (13-3, 9 KOs) in an IBF super flyweight title eliminator.

Jason Pagara (40-2, 25 KOs) is up against Ghanaian Richmond Djarbeng (28-3-1, 22 KOs) in the other main feature. /