These days, veteran heavyweight Francois Botha more closely resembles 1980s wrestling star Hulk Hogan than a prize boxer.
Perhaps it is the bandanna, hidden beneath a baseball cap. Or maybe the dyed beard.
Actually, his shoes are just as eye-catching - teal blue, with black speckles, and looking every inch, or inches, like Winklepickers. Do not bother asking where you could buy a pair like that.
His fists capture the attention, too - the same fists he used to hit the likes of Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield and Wladimir Klitschko. One hand is adorned with fairly conspicuous jewellery, and his wrist with a sparkly watch. Maybe all that shines is diamonds. Botha is no Liberace, but he is not afraid to accessorise.
And while we are talking about those hands, what a lovely soft handshake the man has. I half expected broken bones, corrective surgery and months of rehabilitation.
He sounds familiar, too - a lot like Highlanders lock Brad Thorn, if Thorn was South African and had swallowed another bucket or two of gravel. Botha is not as big as expected, either, although his arms boast significant girth. He has a friendly face and he talks a great game.
That is probably why the slightly paunchy 44-year-old is still getting fights at this time of his life. He is very engaging and a promoter's dream in that sense.
''I'm gonna school Baby Joseph,'' he says, laughing.
Baby Joseph? Joseph Parker, of course, the talented 21-year-old New Zealand pugilist who has linked up with respected trainer Kevin Barry and Duco Promotions to help give his fledgling professional boxing career a leg up.
The pair are scheduled to fight eight rounds in Auckland on June 13.
''He is in a win-win situation, really,'' Botha said.
''He is a great young man and even though he will lose ... he can go back to the drawing board and look at his mistakes. It is not a bad thing if you lose to the Buffalo, because I've been in with good fighters.
''If he gets lucky, which I doubt, then it is even better for him.''
''The Buffalo'', as Botha refers to himself, actually rates Parker, and that is saying something.
He referred to Klitschko as a ''garbage can'' and said a lot of his defeats came about because his opponents got lucky. And do not get him started on Sonny Bill Williams.
SBW beat Botha in controversial circumstances in February. The fight ended unexpectedly after 10 rounds when it had been publicised as a 12-round contest.
Botha was starting to pound on Williams and quite probably would have won had the fight gone the anticipated number of rounds.
He gave Williams' controversial manager, Khoder Nasser, who he believes conspired to rob him of victory, a backhanded compliment.
''Khoder Nasser, being the jerk that he is by blackballing me, is actually a good manager. He wants his fighter to win at all costs.''
Just allegations, of course. And perhaps just part of the game when it comes to boxing. Some people detest the show, but it pays to remember it is a show.
Botha plans to retire some time next year. He had is first professional fight in February 1990 - two years before Parker was born.
''Buffalo is had it now'' as he puts it.
''That pussy Williams won't fight me again. He don't want to swim with the Buffalo no more because I said I'm gonna drown him in deep water.
''I'm gonna smack Baby Joseph ... then I want to come back and get a big fish. Somebody who is a real fighter, like David Tua.
''I believe he has had 18 retirements and Buffalo will put him back in retirement.''
For the record, Botha has had 61 professional bouts for 48 wins, nine defeats, three draws and one no contest. Parker has had four wins from four fights.
