[TheWhiteBuffaloRoaming(---)=

Here is the Press conference. No Grant here but all the African fighters.

Cant tell what kind of shape Botha is in from this. But he looks bulky, not sure if it looks more muscle or fat. We will soon see. But he seems very confident!

http://www.worldboxingfederation.net/articles/article0149.htm

 

Quite right mate. Im thinking Botha is going to be a fairly big outsider as far as odds go. Im deffo going to put a bet on this....

 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=302257359791835&set=pu.288216751195896&type=1&theater


There has too be a few more people looking foward to this fight, Botha or Grant supporters. The winner seems likely get a good shot at someone according to twitter and showpony and white buffalo promotions. Botha says he is winning this in 7?!! More rumours to follow!

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No they are fighting in Johannesburg, South Africa. That comment i left was a long time ago?

 

Check out the youtube videos below of the weigh in and frans bothas open sparring session

At last The Buffalo is looking in trim and in good shape. He is an underdog in this fights but i think he might just pull it off.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5i1lMcg6pU&feature=channel_video_title[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXfS-SgUXyk&feature=related[/ame]

 

According to reports Botha is at a twenty year low. He is in good shape and has taken this fight very seriously. I think Botha is going to do it!!

WAR BOTHA!!!

Francois Botha has, for the first time in 20 years, weighed in at less than 120 kg for a fight.
The South African, who fights American Michael Grant at Montecasino in Fourways, Sandton, on Saturday night, weighed 114.39 kg on Friday.
"It’s the first time in 20 years I’ll come into the ring at under 120kg," Botha said.
"This shows how seriously I am taking this bout and how hard I've trained to put my career back on the map."
The towering Grant weighed 115.24 kg for the bout in which the vacant World Boxing Federation heavyweight belt will be at stake.
RON JACKSON reports that the bill includes five WBF title fights.
In the main bout, former IBF and WBF champion Botha, whose impressive record stands at 48-5-3, with one no-contest and 28 knockouts, faces Grant, an American with a record of 47-4; 35.
Botha, 43, and Grant 39, were both beaten in two rounds by Lennox Lewis for the WBC and IBF heavyweight titles a few years ago.
"The White Buffalo," as Botha is known, made his professional debut on February 11, 1990 with a first-round knockout of Johan van Zyl.
He won his next 11 fights before moving to the United States where he became a highly rated fighter. On December 9, 1995 he outpointed Axel Schulz in Stuttgart, Germany, to claim the vacant IBF belt.
He was later stripped of the belt after testing positive for a banned substance. The result of the fight was changed to a no-contest.
Botha has fought some of the top heavyweights of his time. His only losses were to world champions Michael Moorer (tko 12), Mike Tyson (KO 5), Lewis (tko 2), Wladimir Klitschko (tko 8) and Evander Holyfield (tko 8).
Grant, from Bluebell, Pennsylvania, made his professional debut in July 1994 and went unbeaten in his first 31 fights. He was considered capable of winning one of the heavyweight belts.
However, in April 2000 he was beaten inside two rounds by Lewis. In his next fight he was stopped in the first round by Jameel McCline.
He won 16 of his next 18 fights against ordinary opposition. The losses were to Dominick Guinn (tko 7) and Tomasz Adamek (points 10).
Botha and Grant are well past their best and neither is ranked in the top 15 by the four major organisations.
However, it could be an interesting fight with Botha relying on ring craft to overcome the height and reach advantages of Grant.

 

I hear a rematch is on the cards according to this source i found.

And the rematch will happen in March and again it will be in South Africa.

 

Maybe your right. I might however say that i think Botha got cocky and it cost him, but he should have won. With 27 seconds away from victory he once again got badly unlucky. He came to fight as always but maybe for once in the last round he should have retreated and protected. He had done the hard work. i actually now think Botha would win a rematch. I feel i can say this with more conviction than previous to the first fight where i thought he was really up against it. He should retire soon, but now is not the right time for me. He lost yes, but did he get dominated or knocked out badly. My opinion is go for the rematch. If he loses he should retire. If he wins bigger matches should come quickly.

What does everyone else think?

 

The rematch between Botha and Grant sounds like its on. this news report according to a S African new website-

American heavyweight Michael Grant has revealed that he has agreed to a rematch against veteran Francois “White Buffalo” Botha, the man he defeated to win the WBF heavyweight title last month.

Grant disclosed that the bout could take place early next year, either in Las Vegas or South Africa.

“I do have a rematch with Botha in late March that will be in South Africa or Las Vegas,” said Grant, who was this week announced as the WBF boxer of the month for November.

The 39-year-old Grant shocked Botha, 43, when he came from behind to register a 12th round knockout victory in a bout that took place at Monte Casino.

Having trailed for the entire 11 rounds, Grant admitted he had been on the verge of losing the fight and credited his faith in God for annexing the blue belt.

“I was behind on points and after every round I would go to my corner quoting ‘I can do all things through Christ’’, said Grant. – 701134