Boxer Kevin Lerena’s wife is due to give birth to a baby boy this week and that has further fuelled Lerena’s fire in his preparations for the right to challenge for the World Boxing Council’s bridgerweight vacant title.
Committed to his craft, Lerena will welcome Belgium-based Ivorian Ryad Merhy on May 13 at Emperors Palace.
Lerena is rated No 4, two spots below Merhy in a weight class between the heavyweight class and the cruiserweight division.
It was created in 2020 by WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman. He named it after a six-year-old American boy – Bridger Walker who saved his four-year-old sister from a stray dog in that year.
The honour of being the first African to challenge for that belt – in the event he wins the elimination fight – is probably the reason for Lerena to be still be in the fighting game.
He already has fame and fortune as the IBO cruiserweight holder. He successfully chalked up six defences and Lerena is the highest paid boxer in the country currently.
He is said to have earned over R7m in his failed coup to oust Daniel Dubois as the regular WBA world heavyweight champion.
The Englishman – who was down three times in round one stopped Lerena in the third round in front of 60,000 fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in England on December 3 last year.
“There are even more reasons for me to remain humble and hungrier than ever before. The family is growing. My little boy – umfana wami omncane – is coming,” he told Sowetan yesterday.
He has two other children, a boy and a girl. Asked about his preparations, he said: “I never left my gym since my last fight. Fighting is what I know,” said Lerena who was 18 years old when he turned professional in 2011.
Trained by Peter Smith, Lerena went on to win the WBF Africa, WBC Youth silver, SA, WBA Pan African and IBO cruiserweight and WBA Intercontinental heavyweight titles. Lerena described the right-handed Merhy as a good fighter.
They have almost similar fight records. They are both 30 years old. Lerena has 28 wins, 14 by knockouts and two losses while Merhy has 26 knockouts in 31 wins against a loss.
Lerena determined to win challenge for vacant title
With son on the way, fighter has more reason to be ‘hungrier’ than before
Image: Antonio Muchave
Boxer Kevin Lerena’s wife is due to give birth to a baby boy this week and that has further fuelled Lerena’s fire in his preparations for the right to challenge for the World Boxing Council’s bridgerweight vacant title.
Committed to his craft, Lerena will welcome Belgium-based Ivorian Ryad Merhy on May 13 at Emperors Palace.
Lerena is rated No 4, two spots below Merhy in a weight class between the heavyweight class and the cruiserweight division.
It was created in 2020 by WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman. He named it after a six-year-old American boy – Bridger Walker who saved his four-year-old sister from a stray dog in that year.
The honour of being the first African to challenge for that belt – in the event he wins the elimination fight – is probably the reason for Lerena to be still be in the fighting game.
He already has fame and fortune as the IBO cruiserweight holder. He successfully chalked up six defences and Lerena is the highest paid boxer in the country currently.
He is said to have earned over R7m in his failed coup to oust Daniel Dubois as the regular WBA world heavyweight champion.
The Englishman – who was down three times in round one stopped Lerena in the third round in front of 60,000 fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in England on December 3 last year.
“There are even more reasons for me to remain humble and hungrier than ever before. The family is growing. My little boy – umfana wami omncane – is coming,” he told Sowetan yesterday.
He has two other children, a boy and a girl. Asked about his preparations, he said: “I never left my gym since my last fight. Fighting is what I know,” said Lerena who was 18 years old when he turned professional in 2011.
Trained by Peter Smith, Lerena went on to win the WBF Africa, WBC Youth silver, SA, WBA Pan African and IBO cruiserweight and WBA Intercontinental heavyweight titles. Lerena described the right-handed Merhy as a good fighter.
They have almost similar fight records. They are both 30 years old. Lerena has 28 wins, 14 by knockouts and two losses while Merhy has 26 knockouts in 31 wins against a loss.
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