Golden Gloves

South Africa’s IBO world junior flyweight champion Hekkie “ Hexecutioner” Budler remains unbeaten but only after winning a  hell-for-leather 10-round non-title “split-decision” against experienced Mexican trial-horse Evaristo Primero at the Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas last night. More than ever before, during Budler’s burgeoning career, his weaknesses and limitations were cruelly exposed by a 33-year-old opponent whose most striking assets are his experience against an array of world class competitors and a heart as big as Mexico itself. Indubitably the 22-year-old Budler will need to seriously review a tape of the fight and his trainer Colin Nathan could do a lot worse than join his boxer. Much like the television commentators, last night’s three judges had a contrasting take on the fight, with one judge making the South African a ludicrous eight point winner (98-92). A more sober view was expressed by the other two ringside officials even though one thought that Primero had done enough to win what was a close and volume-packed fight, by an extravagant margin of four points (97-93). Your writer’s unsought after arithmetic had Budler in front 95-93, while the other South African fancier also marked him as a two-point winner (96-94).

Analytically appraised, young Hekkie simply has to sharpen his defensive skills, which were woefully inadequate last night, because against a harder and more incisive hitter than Primero the Python-loving South African will come a cropper. Primero is certainly an entertaining gamecock who will give as good as he gets every time he enters the ring but it would be stretching things to call him a world beater, even though he came ever so close to inflicting Budler’s first loss as a professional. Instead young Hekkie will fly back to South Africa with his record bolstered (17-0, with 5 knockouts) while Primero drops to 14-14-1.

Essentially a ‘work in progress’, Budler nevertheless needs to reassess his career and take stock of his glaring inadequacies that were so forcibly punctuated by the bigger built Primero. Defence aside, Hekkie’s attack is far too stereotype, his legs too wide apart and lo and behold; for a world champion he’s a sucker for a lead right hand. Uppercuts also penetrate those porous ramparts and it’s no exaggeration to suggest that he owed victory last night to his tremendous work ethic and courage.

Talking points? Budler was shook up on one occasion during the fight and dropped by “low blows” in both the 2^nd and 9^th round, the second of which definitely warranted a one point deduction that amazing wasn’t forthcoming.

Golden Gloves Promoter Rodney Berman obviously enjoyed the ringside action and was so impressed with Primero’s performance that he offered the Mexican a return bout in South Africa. “He deserves nothing less” said Berman, who returns to South Africa later this week.

In the feature event on last night’s fight card, Ji Hoon Kim of South Korea discovered that durability, raw aggression and potency of punch weren’t enough to claim the vacant IBF world lightweight title when he took on Mexico’s Miguel Vasquez over 12 rounds. Co-promoted by GGP in South Africa and Banner Promotions in America, the 23-year Kim’s lack of polish was masterfully punished by an opponent who’s clearly a very good boxer with solid tools. That Kim eschews any form of skill for manly aggression is a fact and it’s amazing how far that mode of combat has carried the likeable Korean. Yet if the “Volcano” –as Kim is known- is to post a meaningful impact on the world lightweight stage, he’ll surely have to obtain some judicious counselling in the basic rudiments of boxing; such as blocking a punch with something other than his face! The verdict in Vasquez’s favour was never in doubt!