Hekkie Budler Defends New WBA Crown against Rojas on March 19

By Mesuli Zifo

SOUTH Africa’s Hekkie Budler will make the first defence of his newly acquired WBA super mini-flyweight title against Nicaraguan Bryon Rojas at Emperors Palace, SA on March 19.

Budler (29-1, 9 KOs) has just been elevated to a super champion status by the WBA in its convention in Panama last month.

He becomes the second SA boxer to get such status with Simpiwe Vetyeka also achieving the feat in an instant when he dethroned Chris John of the featherweight crown in 2013.

But Budler started from the bottom by winning the interim belt of the sanctioning body before he was then elevated into a regular champion.

His promoter Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves Promotion is ecstatic with his charge’s elevation, further reinforcing the argument that promoters are in favour of such proliferation of titles by the sanctioning bodies.

“This is a massive achievement by Hekkie and we are absolutely elated by what the WBA has done for him,” Berman said.

However Rojas might turn into a party- pooper as he is determined to use the title to launch his own career just like his compatriot Roman “ Chocolatito” Gonzalez did when he won the very same crown in 2008.

Gonzalez, now widely considered as the best pound for pound boxer, is now receiving overdue due recognition for his talent despite campaigning in one of the  lighter divisions often ignored in boxing.

After two-back-to-back losses in 2012, the 25-year-old is enjoying a 10- fight unbeaten streak which has catapulted him to the 10th spot in the WBA ratings.

“Rojas is a dangerous boxer because he wants to make a name for himself just like Chocolatito has done,” Berman added.

The Emperors Palace show dubbed “March Madness” will also see WBA#15 Paul Kamanga facing Russian Roman Balaev in a welterweight clash while a domestic rivalry between Grant Fourie and Warren Joubert will be renewed with the national junior welterweight crown up for grabs