EVERGLADES, Fla. – A former pro boxer got into one of the most memorable fights of his life, but he wasn’t in the ring.
King Pedford was hunting with Capt. Mike Friedopfer from Epic Airboat Tours, when Pedford caught a 16-foot-long Burmese python in the Everglades on Tuesday night.
It is believed to be the longest snake caught in Florida so far this year.
And the massive female python was not alone.
She was sitting on a giant clutch of eggs.
Pedford is a former pro boxer who once fought out of Floyd Mayweather’s boxing club in Las Vegas.
He is also a skilled hunter and has his own show, but this is the first time he has ever hunted pythons.
“I’m terrified of snakes,” he said. “I wanted to do it to chase that fear. That, and clowns. Don’t judge me.”
Pedford said he has always been afraid of snakes, so he came to Miami from Dallas and went on this hunt to face his fears.
And boy did he get his money’s worth.
He said the angry python tried to bite him twice, and that he had to be very careful that she wasn’t able to wrap herself around him.
Skilled hunters can go a lifetime without catching a beast like this, but Pedford hit the jackpot.
It was his second night in the swamp.
He struck out the first night, but told Friedopfer he wanted to go out again on Tuesday night, and that’s when he hit the mother lode.
The snake measured 16-feet-long and weighed 105 pounds.
62 eggs were recovered.
Jake Waleri, who last year was part of a duo that captured the longest python ever caught in Florida, was there to witness Pedford’s catch.
Waleri told Pedford that he believes Pedford’s catch is the longest python caught in Florida so far this year.
Pedford said he is harvesting the snake for meat.
The hide will be turned into products like belts, boots and wallets that Pedford will give away to supporters.
The team tried to donate the eggs to a university for research, but could not find anyone who would take them, so they were humanely destroyed.