Francois Botha
| Francois Botha | |
|---|---|
| Born |
28 September 1968 Witbank, South Africa |
| Other names | "The White Buffalo" |
| Nationality | South African |
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) |
| Weight | 118 kg (260 lb; 18.6 st) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Style | Boxing |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Team | Vallentuna Boxing Camp |
| Trainer | Mats Söderström Po Lindwall |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Professional boxing record | |
| Total | 63 |
| Wins | 48 |
| By knockout | 29 |
| Losses | 11 |
| Draws | 3 |
| No contests | 1 |
| Kickboxing record | |
| Total | 17 |
| Wins | 4 |
| By knockout | 3 |
| Losses | 13 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 1 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Losses | 1 |
| By submission | 1 |
| Other information | |
| Boxing record from BoxRec | |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Francois "Frans" Botha (born 28 September 1968) is a South African kickboxer and former professional boxer. He is best known for winning the IBF heavyweight title in 1995 against Axel Schulz, a title later stripped from Botha after he tested positive for steroids. Botha has also competed once in mixed martial arts.
Botha has had a relatively distinguished career as a heavyweight boxer, having fought several world heavyweight champions including Mike Tyson, Shannon Briggs, Axel Schulz, Michael Moorer, Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko. Botha suffered a fifth round knockout to Mike Tyson, and the famous fight with Shannon Briggs, which ended in a draw.
Botha had a victory in 1995 against Germany's Axel Schulz to win the IBF heavyweight Championship, but later tested positive for the steroid nandrolone he and his camp claimed to be prescribed by a doctor for an arm injury. The result of the fight was then changed to a "No Contest" and the IBF do not recognize Botha as former champion, although Botha was introduced as a former champ in every single professional boxing contest he has engaged in since.
In 1996 "The White Buffalo" bounced back with a courageous effort with Michael Moorer for the IBF crown on the undercard of Mike Tyson's first contest with Evander Holyfield. Moorer knocked him out in the twelfth round. This eventually led to fights with Mike Tyson, Shannon Briggs, and heavyweight title showdowns with Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitschko. Botha came up on the short end via knockout in both of those encounters for the heavyweight title.
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