Botha pissed off

http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=268917


=======================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------
White Buffalo mad at Egyptian’s boxing cancellation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2008/11/11
By MESULI ZIFO
THE country’s former world heavyweight boxing champion Francois “White Buffalo” Botha is hopping mad after the big tournament he was preparing for in Egypt on November 30 was cancelled.
The tournament, the first to be held in that country, was called off after Botha’s proposed opponent Danny Williams of England was knocked out by unheralded Polish fighter Albert Sosnowski in a warm-up bout in England at the weekend.
Williams who is famous for beating, what was left of, the once mighty Mike Tyson, insisted on taking a tune-up bout in England to prepare for his WBF heavyweight title clash against Botha.
This while he was aware of the risks involved.
A fuming WBF Africa president Howard Goldberg said he warned Williams against getting involved in another bout when his bout with Botha was confirmed.
“I called him and reminded him of the consequences his fight would have on the November 30 tournament but he was so confident of winning he even told me he would whip Sosnowski within five rounds,” Goldberg said.
Goldberg said he never thought that Williams could lose the bout but added that he was worried of the Brit suffering an injury which would have jeopardise his fight with Botha.
“I was worried with a lot of things such as him suffering an injury like a cut or something but Williams was so confident of emerging unscathed from the bout I even began to relax,” Goldberg added.
Sosnowski who improved his record to 44 wins with 27 stoppages against two losses, coincidentally was the holder of the WBF heavyweight crown until he was stripped for failing to defend it, rendering it vacant for Botha and Williams to contest for it.
The big Pole reportedly gave Williams a systematic beating dropping him with a big right hand in the eighth and then unleashing a flurry of punches which forced the referee to step in save the badly vanquished Williams later in the round.
Botha who has been working so hard for the fight could not conceal his displeasure.
“This was going to be one the biggest tournaments to be involved in as it was to be the first in Egypt,” he said.
“To say I am upset would be an understatement.”
Botha last fought in July last year, after a four year hiatus, when he beat Australian Bob Mirovic.
Goldberg said the German promoter Olaf Schroder, who was to stage the event together with a wealthy Egyptian businessman and had already taken elaborate steps to prepare for the tournament, including staging it at a venue overlooking the famous Pyramids, was so upset by Williams’ loss he called off the entire card.
“The promoter wanted to promote the tournament as the event featuring two fighters who once fought Tyson,” he said.
Botha also fought Tyson and gave him a beating for four rounds before running into a big right hand that knocked him out in the fifth .
Goldberg said the Egyptians wanted no one but Williams due to his stunning knockout defeat of Tyson.
“They cannot take someone else so the event is off.”
Goldberg said plans were afoot for Botha to face another opponent, possibly American Eddie Chambers for the title.
=======================================================================



Whole card cancelled then, that's a shame because it would've been a unique environment. Interesting to see Chambers name getting floated though...pretty sure he beats old Botha up handily.

 

It sounds like they haven't actually seen Williams-Sosnowski, yes.

But the rest of the facts are pretty inarguable. Danny fought a fight that he didn't particularly need to and it's ended up scuppering a good payday against an opponent you'd favour him to beat in an interesting and unique settings. Definitely a shame.

 

What, the Carlos Baldomir fight? Yeah, I see what you mean. I remember PBF being in tears after that fight because he felt people weren't giving him enough credit.