DEON POTGIETER, Johannesburg | Wednesday 10.30am
SOUTH Africa’s Frans Botha has come out firing in reaction to criticisms about his July 15 bout with Lennox Lewis for the universal heavyweight world title.
Botha claims that he is the best heavyweight around, saying: “Believe me, the guys out there are all over-rated.”
“Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, the lot. Somebody like myself has got to go out and prove how over-rated they really are,” Botha, known as ‘White Buffalo’ said.
Botha has always talked a good fight and has been prepared to back it up with whatever fistic talents he does have. His only two career losses came at the hands of former world champions Michael Moorer and Mike Tyson.
In both bouts the score-cards were leaning to favour Botha when he was stopped.
If he can avoid getting careless and demand respect from Lewis as Holyfield did, he may very well be able to steal a points decision.
However unlikely it may be, a Botha victory will see him land a rematch with Tyson. Of a fight with fellow South African Corrie Sanders, Botha merely says “Corrie who?”.
Sanders makes the fourth defence of his WBU heavyweight world title as the main event in an HBO heavyweight special on May 20 against Hassim Rahman.
Lewis is also contracted to HBO, and if Sanders impresses, Lewis may be pressured into defending his title against the big-hitting South African.
That is, of course, if Botha doesn’t upset the odds.