Hard-boiled Hekkie eyes Japanese omelette
The junior-flyweight fighter is set to take on Ryoichi Taguchi
● Hekkie Budler turns 30 on Friday, but all he will eat to mark the occasion is hardboiled eggs.
“Maybe four of them during the day,” Budler said this week before departing for Japan where he challenges Ryoichi Taguchi for the IBF and WBA junior-flyweight titles next Sunday.
His milestone birthday just happens to be the day before the weigh-in, and that’s the hardest day of dieting in the boxer’s schedule, allowing himself nothing more than the eggs and a little water.
“My weight loss is worked out. I’ll lose 1.5kg the last week in water, so I can put it all back on straight away,” says Budler, who has been training with former world champion, Moruti Mthalane, for this challenge.
Mthalane, 35, takes on Muhammad Waseem on the undercard of Manny Pacquiao’s next bill in Kuala Lumpur in midJuly.
Both Budler and Mthalane, stablemates at Colin Nathan’s Hot Box gym, are seeking redemption, looking to right the wrongs dealt to them in the seedy business of boxing.
Budler was fouled by the referee when he challenged Milan Melindo for the IBF title in the Philippines last year.
The official allowed the opposing corner to work on a bad cut above the champion’s eye during the round, and he ruled a slip by Budler as a knockdown.
At least the IBF ordered that Budler get another crack, which comes against the Japanese who beat Melindo in a unification bout late last year.
Mthalane once owned the same IBF title he will be gunning for, but gave it up a few years ago because the only promoter willing to give him a fight was offering peanuts.
They should be bitter, but the two veterans aren’t fazed about the past. “Sometimes in life things will not go the way you want,” says Mthalane. “You must accept it and see the positive.”
Budler agrees. “It was a blessing in disguise because I’m getting a better opportunity now.”
Taguchi’s status as the best junior-flyweight in the world is acknowledged by his Ring magazine belt, which will also be on the line. Only one South African boxer has held a Ring belt to date, and that was undisputed world bantamweight champion Vic Toweel.
Mthalane, unbeaten since 2008, might have won a Ring belt himself had he been given the opportunity to unify the flyweight division.
So when he says Budler is prepared for this shot, it means something. “He’s sharp, he’s ready, he’s very focused.”
Mthalane adds that Budler is deceptively smart between the ropes.
“When you watch him, you think ‘ja,’, and when you’re in the ring, he’s a different story. He knows how to read his opponent, how to adapt his style.”
Nathan has studied Taguchi like an academic thesis, and is confident he has uncovered a few flaws, like not getting his hands back into position after throwing body punches.
Taguchi leaves his hands down momentarily, and Nathan can see Budler capitalising on that. Picture: Moeletsi Mabe
But they’ll go into the fight with a few game plans for the taller champion.
“It’s a tough fight, but that’s what I want,” says Nathan.
Budler adds that this has been his toughest training camp. He’s as hard-boiled as the eggs awaiting him on his birthday.
Budler has a record of 31 wins (10 KOs) and three defeats.
Taguchi, 31, has 27 victories (12 KOs), two losses and two draws.
He knows how to read his opponent, how to adapt...
Moruti Mthalane Budler’s Hot Box stablemate