Monte Casino, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa - Francois Botha was seconds away from winning the fringe WBF heavyweight title when Michael Grant knocked him out on Saturday night. The South African was ahead on points when a huge right by the American sent him crashing to the canvas in the final round of their fight.

Botha, who stunned Grant in rounds seven and eleven, stayed down for a while before his helpers got him back to his feet. The official time of the knockout was 2 minutes 23 seconds into the twelfth round.

Botha, nicknamed the White Buffalo, was in the best shape of his career and he outscored the much taller Grant in a rather boring affair before dropping his guard at a crucial stage. Grant, 39, improved his record to 48-4, with 36 knockouts. The 43-year-old Botha dropped to 48-6-3, with one no-contest and 28 knockouts.