Irrespective of the outcome of the junior-flyweight WBC elimination contest against former WBO holder Edwin Soto in Mexico on Sunday morning, Hekkie “The Hexecutioner” Budler will remain SA's most decorated fighter of this decade.

The winner will earn the right to challenge WBC junior-flyweight champion Kenshiro Teraji of Japan. Budler, the WBC International champion, is rated No 1 while Soto occupies the No 3 spot.

Budler has previously held the unified WBA Super, IBF and IBO belts in the junior-flyweight division. He had also ruled with iron fists as the IBO and WBA champion in the mini-flyweight class. 

Budler is yet to win the WBC and the WBO belts but he is on the verge of challenging for the WBC title.

The 33-year-old needs to put it together against the hard-hitting Soto on Sunday and then he will be home and dry. Soto is a tough customer who is going to test the craft of the veteran.

Soto, who has knocked out 13 of his 19 victims against two losses, won the WBO junior-flyweight title in 2019.

Budler and trainers Colin Nathan and Bernie Pailman have spent a week in Mexico. They are all in agreement that they have a mammoth task ahead of them.

Budler said: “It is going to be a hard fight; my opponent is probably the hardest puncher in the division. It is a big fight for me to get back on the big stage – a fight where I have to show I still have what it takes to win a world title. I still believe I can be world champ again and this is the first step to doing that.”

Nathan said: “I am looking forward to a great contest between two legit world-class operators. This is a massive fight for us. At this stage of Hekkie’s career every fight is important. We are looking forward to a good, hard fight with us coming out victorious and making our nation proud.”

Pailman said: “It’s a very tough fight and I think Hekkie will must go out there and give his all to emerge victorious. He has done it 33 times in 37 fights."

SuperSport will broadcast the fight on SS Variety 1 at 4.45am on Sunday.