South Africa’s Kevin Lerena meets Cote D’Ivoire-born Ryad Merhy, who fights out of Brussels, Belgium in a WBC bridgerweight title eliminator at Emperors Palace near Kempton Park on Saturday night.
The tournament will be shown live on Supersport.
The World Boxing Council is the only boxing organisation that recognises the bridgerweight division, with a limit of 101kg.
The WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman stated that today's heavyweights are simply too big, making it unsafe for some of the smaller big men, so that is why they created the division in July 2020.
The first world championship fight took place on 22 October 2021 between Oscar Rivas and Ryan Rozicki, with Rivas winning on a 12-round unanimous points decision. The current champion is Lukasz Rozanski (15-0; 14) from Poland
LERENA ALWAYS SUPERBLY CONDITIONED
Since making his pro debut on 30 November 2011, the always superbly conditioned Lerena (28-2; 14), who fights from the southpaw stance, has won the WBF African, WBC Youth Silver, South African, IBO cruiserweight titles and the WBA Intercontinental heavyweight title.
In his most recent fight on 3 December at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London against Daniel Dubois for the WBA secondary heavyweight title, he had his opponent down three times in the first round before being stopped in the third round. Fortunately for Dubois, there was no three-knockdown rule.
The South African, who will celebrate his 31st birthday on 5 May, has not picked an easy one for his return to action after coming off a stoppage loss.
LERENA’S TOUGHEST OPPONENT
Merhy, 30, has compiled a record of 31-1; 26 with an 81.25 per cent knockout ratio since making his pro debut on 28 June 2013.
He won the WBA cruiserweight title on an eighth-round technical knockout against the capable Zhoaxin Zhang (10-1-1).and subsequently relinquished it.
His only loss came against Arsen Goulamirian (22-0) on 24 March 2018 in a clash for the WBA interim cruiserweight title.
This is possibly the toughest opponent that Lerena has come up against in his nearly 12-year career, but always superbly conditioned he will not go down fighting against the favoured Merhy and could surprise his critics.
In the current WBC Bridgerweight ratings, Merhy is listed at No 2 and Lerena at No 4.
UNDERCARD
On the undercard, Keaton Gomes (9-2; 7) makes the first defence of his South African heavyweight title against the former champion, Joshua Pretorius (9-6; 5).
Welterweight – 6 rounds - Keanu Koopman v Peter DeKlerk.
Junior welterweight – 6 rounds - Ntethelelo Nkosi v Gift Bolo.
Junior bantamweight – 4 rounds - Ndabazinhle Ohiri v Miranda Malajika.
Junior flyweight – 4 rounds - Sandile Wessels v Beaven Sibanda.
The tournament is presented by Golden Gloves Promotions.