South African star and two-weight world champion Hekkie Budler is closing the door on his decorated professional career.
The 35-year-old, who boasts a 35-5 (11 KOs) record, was taken to one side by trainer and friend Colin Nathan today and Nathan told him he thought the journey they had been on together since 2007 was over, and Budler understood.
Budler is one of South Africa’s finest fighters of the modern era, capturing titles at 105lbs and 108lbs, unifying and even winning The Ring title with a huge victory over Ryoichi Taguchi.
Budler avoided no one, and often had to fight on the road, boxing in Mexico, Japan, the U.S, Monte Carlo, Macau and the Philippines.
He upset the odds several times, including a 2022 win in Mexico over Elwin Soto, but he also boxed the likes of Juanito Rubilar, Florante Condes, Nkosinathi Joyi, Milan Melindo, and Jesus Silvestre.
He lost to Japanese star Kenshiro Teraji in September last year for the WBA and WBC light flyweight titles in his final fight, but admits he is ready to miss the sport he has known and loved most of his life.
“I like testing myself,” Budler said. “I like going in the gym and working extra hard to go and prove people wrong in the ring. I think I’ll miss that. I was never one for the limelight or anything like that, so I won’t miss that at all, but that thrill you get, that rush, getting to the ring, ready for a fight, that stress, butterflies in the stomach, I think that will be the hardest thing to get over.
“As a fighter, I still want to fight but I always said for the people around me to tell me [when it’s time to retire], especially people like Colin and my wife and my dad and my mum. When they see me that it takes me longer to get fit, when my timing isn’t there anymore, they should tell me and I want to hang it up. I want to hang it up when my mind’s still there, I’m still able to talk fine, I’m still able to communicate and I feel good then it’s the right time.”
Budler still believes he could be a factor on the world scene, but in many ways that gives him more satisfaction, going out near the top of his game than realizing his peak has passed him by.
“I still believe I can hang with the guys, but that’s why you should have people around you who are looking after you as a fighter, you have to have those people around you,” Budler added. “I’ve always told everybody, I’m lucky to have Colin because he’s always told me straight and told me how things are, what’s happening, which fights are happening, when he’s arranging fights. He tells me every step of what’s going on and where we are and I believe everything Colin says. I want to keep on fighting and keep on going, but I’m going out on my own terms, at my own time. I’m done now.”
Nathan has seen plenty during his time in boxing, and after detecting Hekkie slowing by the finest of margins, he realised the time had come for them to have an honest – and emotional – conversation.
“I said, it’s actually not just about you,” Nathan explained. “You’ve got a daughter, you’ve got a family, this is about the quality of life that you present to them as well.
“It’s been on my mind [the talk]. It was kind of like the elephant in the room, and I’m sure Hekkie had it way more than me but it became a bit irritating in the end, ‘What’s Hekkie’s next move?’ ‘What’s happening?’ ‘Is he going to retire?’ And something that I owed to Hekkie was just to tell him how I felt and what I felt the most logical and practical and health-wise reason was, before I told anyone else.”
Budler wants to stay in boxing and Nathan wants him around his gym helping out and inspiring others, and picking his brain for tactics for upcoming fights. They started the journey together 17 years ago and it has taken them around the world, to the biggest titles on huge stages.
“The relationship changes, but the love and respect stays the same,” Nathan added. “Now we can sit back and reminisce on the trips, because we do. Like when we were stuck at the airport and sleeping on the floor coming back from Mexico after beating Elwin Soto, when we spent 18 hours in the airport, so those kind of things. The wins and losses come and go, but the memories stay with you forever.”