Shannon Briggs as soon as named Frans Botha as the toughest puncher he had ever confronted — however who did Botha regard as the perfect fighter he ever fought?
Botha, like Briggs, competed in an period stacked with harmful heavyweights. America specifically was overflowing with expertise, boasting much more real contenders than we see in the present day.
The South African threw himself into the American scene from his third skilled battle and spent greater than half his profession boxing Stateside. Throughout his 63 fights, there was a five-year spell during which he met Axel Schulz, Michael Moorer, Mike Tyson, Briggs, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis.
Then, in 2002, ‘The White Buffalo’ stood as much as ‘Dr Steelhammer’ Wladimir Klitschko for eight rounds earlier than being stopped by the WBO heavyweight champion. It was his fourth and ultimate failed world-title try.
However of all the large names, who did Botha contemplate the perfect? He revealed his reply in an interview with British Boxing TV.
“Lots of people ask me who’s the perfect fighter and I at all times say Mike as a result of Mike’s acquired the picture, the aggressiveness, all people knew him.
Firstly of my profession I fought towards Themba Msweli, a man from South Africa. A battle that’s not identified and he gave me the toughest battle of my life.”
Tyson vs Botha befell on January 16, 1999, on the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, arriving 19 months after ‘Iron’ Mike infamously bit a bit out of Evander Holyfield’s ear of their rematch.
Previous his greatest, Tyson nonetheless carried sufficient energy to flatten a contender of Botha’s stage — and did so with a venomous proper hand that ended the battle in spherical 5.
