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Pathetic purse forces Budler to vacate title

Hekkie Budler, left, punches Ryoichi Taguchi of Japan during their IBF & WBA light flyweight bout at Ota City on May 20.
Hekkie Budler, left, punches Ryoichi Taguchi of Japan during their IBF & WBA light flyweight bout at Ota City on May 20.
Image: KIYOSHI OTA

Hekkie "Hexecutioner" Budler has vacated his IBF junior flyweight title he won from Ryochi Taguchi on May 20 in Japan, the boxer has conformed.

"The purse money I was offered to defend was not good," said Budler who also won the WBA Super and the Ring Magazine belts in the same bout that took place at Ota City General Gymnasium.

"I think they wanted me to defend it in October and the time to prepare is very limited, not good enough, so I decided to vacate it.

"The IBF would have stripped me anyway. I would rather give other guys the chance to fight for it.

"It is not good losing it this way taking into consideration that the IBF is the one I wanted to fight for especially after being treated unfairly against former champion Milan Melindo in September last year."

Budler - who challenged the Filipino in his backyard - suffered a controversial point loss. Melindo's reign should have ended that day but he won in what many regarded as hometown decision. Melindo then lost it to Taguchi in December.

The 30-year-old Budler, who has an impressive fight record of 32 wins against two losses, still holds both the WBA Super and the Ring Magazine belts.

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