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Francois Botha

Francois Botha, also known as Frans Botha (born September 28, 1968, in Witbank) is a South African boxer, nicknamed the "White Buffalo".

Pro Boxing Career

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 knock out to Mike Tyson, whom he had been beating up until that point.

Botha had a victory in 1995 against Germany's Axel Schulz to win the International Boxing Federation World 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 Botha was stripped of the title.

"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.

MMA career

Botha participated several times in the kickboxing combat sport, K-1. His current K-1 record is two wins and six losses.

Botha also has had one mixed martial arts fight. On December 31st, 2004 he lost to Yoshihiro Akiyama via an armbar submission in the first round.

Boxing Comeback

In July 2007, Botha returned to boxing with a unanimous decision victory over Bob Mirovic in a fight held in South Africa. Botha dominated the fight with two judges holding Botha won all twelve rounds and one judge ruling he won ten of twelve.