Colin ‘Nomakanjani’ Nathan reckons the postponement of the World Boxing Council (WBC) junior-flyweight title fight between current champion Kenshiro Teraji and Masamichi Yabuki is not going to negatively affect his boxer Hekkie Budler.
Instead, Nathan says that Budler might benefit as WBC rules are different from those of other world boxing bodies.
Japanese boxer Teraji, who was due to face his compatriot Yabuki on 10 September, tested positive for COVID-19 last week just two days after his trainer Kenta Kato had tested positive for the deadly disease.
The 29-year-old Teraji, who was going to defend his belt for the first time in his hometown of Kyoto, has defended his crown eight times since winning it in 2017.
“The WBC has a different policy compared to the other bodies. For example, if you get a mandatory from the IBF you’ve got no choice, but to fight the mandatory. The problem with the WBC is just because you are number one doesn’t automatically mean you will get your direct shot,” Nathan said.
Six-time world champion Budler is rated number two by the WBC. He won the WBC Silver International junior-flyweight title when he defeated Filipino boxer Jonathan Almacen in May this year.
Meanwhile, Budler is rated fourth in the World Boxing Association (WBA) and ninth in the World Boxing Organisation (WBO).
The WBA crown is held by Japanese boxer Hiroto Kyoguchi, who dethroned Budler in December 2018, while Elwin Soto from Mexico is the WBO champion.
