TWO-division world champ Hekkie Budler and his trainer Colin Nathan during a presser at the Radisson Blu Hotel on Thursday.
CDN PHOTO LITO TECSON
Hekkie “Hexecutioner” Budler continues his Filipino headhunting in Cebu City when he faces reigning IBF world light flyweight king Milan “El Metodico” Melindo.
Budler, a two-division world champion and the current IBO world light flyweight champion, faces Melindo in the Pinoy Pride 42: Clash for Glory on September 16 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
“I will definitely not do a Connor McGregor against Melindo,” Budler said, referring to Melindo’s claim of having the same fighting style with Mayweather. “I think we have to see what’s going to happen in the ring, we worked our game plan, we’ve set our game plan. Just come and watch an exciting fight.”
Budler arrived in Cebu Wednesday afternoon along with trainer Colin Nathan.
Connor McGregor is best remembered as the UFC champion who challenged Mayweather Jr. in a boxing match last Aug. 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he lost by technical knockout.
Melindo, who idolizes Mayweather, said he fights like the unbeaten American boxing world champion.
But the 29-year-old Johannesburg native Budler has other plans as he aims to extend his winning streak against Filipino boxers.
Budler beat five Filipino boxers so far with his latest victim being Cebu-based, General Santos City-native Joey Canoy of the Rex Wakee Salud Gym, who he beat last Feb. 2 in South Africa.
The other Filipinos he beat are Renan Trongco, Florante Condes, Michael Landero and Juanito Rubillar.
Although he is fighting on enemy’s soil, Budler is still confident he can win.
“Homecourt advantage does not win fights, it’s the two gladiators fighting inside the ring matters most,” said Budler. “My hard work will be my advantage against him (Melindo), God willing I hope to win the title and bring it to South Africa.”
Budler sports a record of 31 wins (10 knockouts) two losses and no draws. Melindo, on the other hand, has a 36W-2L-0D, 13KOs slate.
Nathan, meanwhile, was as confident as his boxer.
“I wanna make this clear, we did not come here on a holiday, we come here for one thing and one thing only and that is to win the world title.”
Budler will appear in a public workout on Saturday at the activity center of the Ayala Center Cebu at 5 p.m.