Popular boxer Hekkie “Hexecutioner” Budler, who is known for dying his hair in rainbow colours when he fights, will earn himself good money for stepping aside and allowing Japanese WBC junior-flyweight world boxing champion Kenshiro Teraji to face Puerto Rican WBO champion Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzales in a unification fight in April.

Many fighters have earned big money by stepping aside when they were in mandatory positions to challenge champions.

Lennox Lewis earned $4m (more than R68m) from hall of fame American veteran promoter Don King to step aside and allow Mike Tyson to fight Bruce Seldon in 1996.

The guarantee was that if Tyson defeated Seldon, he would fight Lewis next. Tyson knocked out Seldon in one round but vacated the WBA heavyweight belt after that fight. 

Budler – the whirlwind performer who still remain humble despite his success which includes multiple world titles in two weight divisions – was mandated by the WBC to face Teraji.

But Teraji’s promoter, Honda Teiken, approached Budler to step aside because this biggest boxing promoter in Asia wants Teraji to be involved in the super fight against Gonzales. That is because that fight includes the WBA and The Ring Magazine belts.  

Colin Nathan said the agreement reached with Teiken is that the winner between Teraji and Gonzales will defend against Budler.

Nathan, who trains Budler, could only say a promoter in Asia offered Budler his biggest purse money ever. He added that it is the best business deal for his company – No Doubt Management – which is responsible for careers of a number of top name fighters in the country. The list includes super talented former IBO junior-featherweight champion Ludumo “9mm” Lamati and Lerato “Lights Out” Dlamini.