On Saturday, March 19, at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa, Hekkie Budler will defend his WBA Super World minimumweight title over a scheduled 12 rounds against Byron Rojas .
A native of Johannesburg, 27-year-old Budler is a nine-year ring vet (29-1, 9 KOs) who won the interim WBA World minimumweight title by stopping Hugo Hernan Verchelli via fourth-round TKO in November 2013 and the vacant WBA World minimumweight title by knocking out Karluis Diaz in the first in March 2014, a title he’s successfully defended four times, most recently last September, when he beat Simphiwe Khonco by unanimous decision. The WBA elevated Budler to Super World champ at its convention in Panama last month. “The Hexecutioner” has only lost once, beaten by Gideon Buthelezi via split decision in January 2011.
His 25-year-old opponent is a six-year pro who fights out of Matagalpa, Nicaragua (16-2-3, 8 KOs, 1 no contest), who last fought in August 2015, beating Byron Castellon by unanimous decision, thus successfully defending the Nicaraguan minimumweight title he’d won in November 2013 by beating Jose Aguilar via unanimous decision. Tenth-ranked by the WBA, “Gallito” has never been stopped and hasn’t lost since December 2012, when he was beaten by Roger Collado via split decision. His only other loss came that August, losing by split decision to Luis Rios.
“Rojas is a dangerous boxer,” says Rodney Berman of Golden Boy Promotions, the company that promotes Budler. Dangerous enough to pluck the crown from the brow of the champ from Jo’burg?
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
