South Africa’s Hector "Hekkie" Budler, a former two-weight world champion, faces a tough task when he meets former WBO light flyweight champion Elwin Soto of Mexico at the Palenque Fex, Mexicali, Mexico over 12 rounds on Saturday.
The 34-year-old Budler, 33-4; 10, has had an outstanding career having held the WBA and IBF light-flyweight belts in 2018, and the IBO and WBA minimumweight belts between 2011 and 2016.
There is no doubt Budler will be fighting in front of a hostile crowd with the 25-year-old Soto, 19-2; 13, in a fight that has been reported as a WBC title eliminator. The WBC champion is Kenshiro Teraji.
Soto made his pro debut in October 2016 and lost his third fight.
He won the WBO light flyweight belt when he stopped Angel Acosta in the twelfth round and made successful defences against Edward Heno (ud 12), Carlos Buitrago (ud 12) and then stopped former strawweight champion Katsunari Takayama (tko 9).
Soto lost his belt on points over 12 rounds against Jonathan Gonzalez on a split decision in his most recent fight.
Budler is listed at No. 1 by the WBC and Soto at No. 3.
Some scribes are predicting that Soto will win inside the distance and most of the odds makers favour the Mexican.
The main organisation champions are WBA “super” Hiroto Kyoguchi, WBA secondary, Esteban Bermudez, WBC, Kenshiro Teraji and IBF vacant.