Former IBF heavyweight champion Frans “White Buffalo” Botha (48-11-3, 29 KOs) spoke to Peter Maniatis about his great boxing career. Botha talks about failing a drug test after beating Axel Schulz for the world title, being ahead on points against both Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield before being stopped, underestimating Lennox Lewis and his bouts with Shannon Briggs, Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, Bob Mirovic and rugby star Sonny Bill Williams. Botha also reveals there will be a movie titled “White Buffalo” on his life to be made by Momentum Pictures.
On Axel Schulz…
“When I boxed Axel Schulz (for the IBF heavyweight title) I went into the fight with an injury to my right arm and I was using some medical prescriptions which had steroids and they got me.” (Botha won by split decision, but was later stripped of IBF title for failing the drug test)
On Mike Tyson…
“It was a great moment in my career when I boxed Mike Tyson. I knew I could beat him but the punch that he landed on me, Tiger Woods could not hit the golf ball better. (Botha won all the rounds on two judges cards at time of stoppage in round five.)
On Shannon Briggs…
“My fight with Shannon Briggs was a real Rocky Movie fight” (which resulted in a ten round draw)
On Lennox Lewis…
“The Lennox Lewis fight was a big disappointment in my career where I underestimated him and paid dearly for that. He knocked me out of the ring in the second round and by the time I struggled to get back into the ring they stopped the fight. Most of my fights I am competitive but that was a very disappointing fight.”
On Wladimir Klitschko…
“You will have to wait until the movie about the “White Buffalo” to come out about what happened when I boxed Klitschko. If I fought Mike Tyson or Lennox Lewis on the same night I fought Klitschko they probably would have stopped me in one round. It took him eight or nine rounds to get rid of me and I was a dead man. Right from the get-go I still got proof of everything. It was a big story. I wanted to pull out of the fight because of my illness. They would have sued me big money It will come out in the movie ‘White Buffalo.’”
On Evander Holyfield…
“Fighting Evander Holyfield was much easier. I was ahead in that fight (Botha was ahead on two judges scorecards at time of stoppage in round eight) The fight was in Vegas and at that stage, I had a lot of problems on my mind. It is a fight I could have won easily but he caught me and finished me.
On Bob Mirovic, Sonny Bill Williams, Joseph Parker…
“I remember fighting the (Australian) guy Bob Mirovic (in 2007 for WBF title). He is a fabulous guy. I really enjoyed that fight. I had a good time with Bob in South Africa. He really enjoyed it.
“Sonny Bill Williams is not a boxer. I don’t know why it was a big fight (in Australia). But he is a good rugby player. Tell him to stick to rugby. Boxing is not his game.
“Baby Joseph (Parker) is not a “Baby” no more. He is a good fighter with the right management. He was a young fighter who took a big stepping stone against a fighter like me but he did it and look where he is now.”
On the best fighter he ever boxed…
“The best fighter I boxed was Mike Tyson. We were friends and in the same camp for about five or six years. Mike always wanted to spar me but I said to him – do you think I want to give up my payday – once you spar me you will not want to fight me. At the end of the day we did meet and it was a great event. It is a fight I easily could have won. He has got the power and could knock you out in the last round. As I said, the punch he landed – Tiger Woods couldn’t land a golf ball better.
On his upcoming movie…
The movie the “White Buffalo” will be by Momentum pictures in Los Angeles and the budget I understand has been approved. I don’t know when they are going to start making the movie. Jeff Bridges will be starring. When I was younger I looked like Jeff Bridges. It’s going to be a good movie. It’s going to be the real life story of the ‘White Baffalo.’”
