Nathan has a fight plan for ‘saving the Ryno’

BOXING trainer Colin Nathan has no time to bask on the glory of the success of his charge Hekkie Budler. who retained his WBA and IBO mini-flyweight crowns in Monte Carlo last weekend.

Budler beat Mexican challenger Jesus Silvestre by a unanimous decision to register his third success in the tiny principality of Monaco.

Soon after touching down back in South Africa, Nathan was already plotting for his other charge, Ryno Liebenberg, who has what appears to be an even tougher assignment than Budler’s – and this is trying to inflict Thomas Oosthuizen with his first loss in their vacant IBO light heavyweight title clash at Emperors Palace, Kempton Park on March 14.

With his shoulder tattooed ‘Nomakanjani’ (loosely translated ‘come what may’), Nathan says Liebenberg is upbeat about his chances.

“Come what may Ryno will be ready for Oosthuizen and we have a perfect game plan for him,” he says.

Nathan, an overwhelming pick for 2014 trainer of the year, confirmed how effective he is in the corner by his masterminding Budler’s win after a shaky start against Silvestre.

Driven by a penchant to brawl, Budler found himself giving away early rounds as he fought the Mexican’s fight instead of using his own superior ring skills.

But Nathan, who has served as an apprentice to top American trainers one of which was Freddie Roach, reminded Budler of the game plan and once the diminutive champion found his rhythm the fight became one-way traffic.

But he will have a more demandin role with Liebenberg who also likes to brawl even though he has above average boxing skills.

“I do not want to reveal the game plan but people who underestimate Ryno will be shocked by what he will do,” the trainer says.

There is just a hint that Liebenberg might play the role of a stalker against Oosthuizen who is equally adept at using his feet as well as his fists.

Having studied the art of cornering a foe from WBA, IBO and WBC interim middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin when he chased and trapped Martin Murray en route to an 11th round stoppage in the main bout in Monaco, Nathan will be inclined to incorporate it into his game plan.

“Golovkin is a master at cutting off the ring and watching him chasing and cornering Murray was one of the highlights of a boxer who is training for a running opponent. Of course it takes a special skill to implement the ring cutting strategy, but I believe Ryno can mimic Golovkin.”

The IBO title at stake might open doors for other mega-fights in the division for the winner and there is already a talk among the US boxing media of Golovkin moving up in weight to take on the victor.

Yet for now Nathan, whose charge will enter as an underdog, does not want to think too far ahead when he still has a mammoth task on his hands.

And with Liebenberg coming off his first professional loss when he was stopped in seven rounds by Eleider Alvarez last October, the fight strategy will need to touch on the psychological aspect too as Ryno’s confidence levels might be a little low.

But Nathan does not leave anything to chance when preparing a boxer for the biggest fight of his life.