It’s ‘The Eliminator’ — and the ‘rebirth’ of Kevin Lerena at bridgerweight

Kevin “Two Guns” Lerena steps back into the ring on Saturday evening against the Ivory Coast-born Belgian Ryad Merhy for the World Boxing Council (WBC) ‘silver’ bridgerweight boxing title at Emperors Palace.

The table couldn’t be set any better for a buffet of top boxing in the Box and Dine tournament dubbed “The Eliminator” presented by Golden Gloves.

LISTEN: Kevin Lerena talks about his comeback on Talking Point podcast

After losing a battle with the scales for some time at cruiserweight, the popular South African southpaw, a former SA and IBO cruiserweight kingpin, briefly tested the waters in the money-spinning heavyweight division.

Defeat in London

Following a controversial third round technical knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois in London in December at heavyweight, he now moves into another sphere in his storied career in what he likes to call a “rebirth” — the fledgling 101.6kg bridgerweight class, established in 2021 and currently only recognised by the Mexico City-based WBC.

The fight is an official WBC eliminator for the bridgerweight world title, held by unbeaten Lukasz Rozanski (15-0) of Poland. Only two South Africans have ever been WBC world champions — Sugarboy Malinga and Dingaan Thobela.

Lerena’s 30-year-old opponent Merhy is on a seven-fight winning streak and has lost just a single fight in 32 professional outings and ended 26 fights via the short route. That suggests this will be a very tough assignment, while the flamboyant 31-year-old Lerena boasts a similarly impressive fight resumé of 28 wins and two losses (14 knockouts).

‘Losing sucks’

With the striking similarities between the two and neither fighter giving away significant height or weight, this fight, originally scheduled to take place in Belgium in 2021 but shelved after Lerena injured his hand, is a matchmakers dream.

Despite coming off a loss to Dubois, Lerena has always been known for his mental strength and ultra-confident demeanour and even after the setback in London, one can still sense his immense hunger.

“It is no secret, losing sucks, don’t let anyone tell you anything to the contrary,” admitted Lerena. “I’ve faced adversity and taken learnings from losing. Win or lose, it’s a warrior sport, a blood sport…the best fighting the best.

“We are two warriors going to war, it’s not just a cool-sounding hashtag. If you have the slightest doubt in your mind, you shouldn’t be in the ring. You will see the best version of me.”

Confident Merhy

The more reserved Merhy, on a seven-fight winning streak as a cruiserweight, has a quiet confidence about him but speaking through his promoter and interpreter Alain Vanackere, he was confident of taking the fight out of the judges’ hands.

Similarly his American assistant trainer Hector Bermudz, who joined the Merhy training camp in Belgium last month, predicted an early night. “Although I haven’t met Lerena, it feels like I know him personally because we have studied all his weaknesses and strengths so well. There are a lot of errors we plan to take advantage of,” said the bearded Bermudz.

Lerena’s trainer Peter Smith was a touch more succinct: “We are both trainers and we both see mistakes. It’s about who makes the right call. The lights are going to go off. We will prove what we are about.”

The main supporting bout on the card features one of Lerena’s stablemates, Keaton Gomez, defending his SA heavyweight title for the first time against former champion Joshua Pretorius. The last four champions have failed to defend the national belt.