Kevin Lerena keen to ‘smash face’ in Saudi Arabia

Befitting the swish desert setting, South Africa’s Kevin Lerena has been accommodated in a plush villa with every need taken care of ahead of his heavyweight showdown against unbeaten Justis Huni in Saudi Arabia on Friday evening.

But any temptation to get too comfortable is best banished by the reality of the job facing him. Huni is bigger, stronger and knows his way around the ring to such a degree that the bookmakers have installed the Australian as a prohibitive favourite.

It’s a calculated risk by Lerena, who is a small heavyweight, but is using the opportunity to cash in and enjoy the exposure of a super-show topped by the intriguing crossover fight between Anthony Joshua and Francis Ngannou.

The Saudis are the new kingmakers in world boxing, backed by unlimited funds and an appetite to get the world’s best boxers to fight one another. Lerena thus has the chance to make a real dent in the heavyweight division, despite having made his name at cruiserweight and more latterly in the middle-of-the-road bridgerweight division.

No risk to Lerena’s status

The Golden Gloves fighter has been told by the World Boxing Council that his status as their interim champion will be unaffected by the result, but there’s no doubt a defeat would stall his career.

Not that this is a thought occupying too much of the South African’s attention. Confidence has never been in short supply with Lerena, who is banking on his movement and fast hands to see off the dangerous Huni.

“This is more of a risk for him than it is for me,” he said. “I’m here to smash his face.”

Lerena will have learned much from his biggest heavyweight fight, when he had Daniel Dubois in all sorts of trouble in their fight in London two years ago, only to let him off the hook before being caught himself.

It was a tough lesson for the slick southpaw and demonstrated the danger inherent among all natural heavyweights: to a man, they can all punch and possess the power to render opponents unconscious with a single shot.

Provided he can keep Huni guessing and not mix it up too much, he has a shot.