By Linda Ximba
Now that South African boxer Kevin Lerena has secured the WBC bridgerweight silver title he has his eyes set on the greatest prize of all – the world heavyweight crown.
Having previously held the SA and IBO cruiserweight championships, Lerena showcased his talent once again with a unanimous decision victory at Emperors Palace over former WBA heavyweight titleholder, Ryad Merhy.
Acknowledging the tough challenge his opponent presented, Lerena emphasised his determination not to suffer consecutive defeats.
His previous attempt at claiming the WBA heavyweight crown ended in disappointment when he faced champion Daniel Dubois in England last December.
Looking ahead, the next obstacle in Lerena’s path is Lukasz Rozanski from Poland as he fights for the WBC bridgerweight championship.
“I would love for this fight to take place on home soil and I have full confidence that my promoter Rodney Berman will do everything possible to make that happen,” said the confident Lerena.
However, should the fight not happen in South Africa, Lerena is prepared to travel to Poland to accomplish his mission.
Speaking of his aspirations, the 31-year-old southpaw revealed his desire to become the second South African to hold the world heavyweight title.
“Before my promoter bows out of the game, I want to win the world heavyweight crown for him. He played a pivotal role in Corrie Sanders’ victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2003 which made Corrie the WBO heavyweight champion,” Lerena shared.
“I believe I can follow in his footsteps and make my promoter proud.”
Unwavering in his determination, Lerena stated his intention to defend the bridgerweight championship belt before transitioning to the heavyweight division where he aims to face legendary fighters like Oleksander Usyk to cement his place among the boxing greats.
Pictured above: Kevin Lerena
Image source: Kevin Lerena Twitter page
