By Ron Jackson

South Africa’s longest-reigning world champion Kevin Lerena makes the sixth defense of his IBO cruiserweight belt when he meets the #16 rated and vastly experienced former WBA cruiserweight champion Firat Arslan, from Germany on Saturday night at the EWS Arena in Goeppingen, Germany.

The tournament will be shown live in South Africa on SS8 on Saturday night.

Lerena, 27, who has compiled a record of 24-1, 11 KOs, since making his pro debut on November 30, 2011, fights out of the Smith Gymnasium in Fourways and is always in superb condition.

He won the vacant IBO belt in September 2017 with a split decision victory over Youri Kayembre Kalenga and has made successful defenses against Dmytro Kucher (pts 12), Roman Golavashchenko (pts 12), Artur Mann (tko 4), Vasil Ducar (pts 12) and in his most recent defense in September last year at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park he stopped Sefer Seri in the third round.

Arslan 47-8-3, 32 KOs, of Turkish descent, was born in Germany on September 28, 1970 and has had an outstanding career since making his pro debut in January 1997.

He has held the WBA cruiserweight belt from 2007 to 2008 after beating Virgil Hill.

The 49-year-old Arslan has made two challenges for the WBO cruiserweight belt and once for the IBF cruiserweight belt.

Arslan has remained unbeaten since April 2013 winning 13 fights and fighting to a draw. Eleven of his wins have come inside the distance so even at this late stage of his career he remains dangerous with a 68% knockout ratio.

The last time Arslan lost was against Yoan Pablo Hernandez on August 16, 2014, in a challenge for the IBF cruiserweight belt. He lost on a split decision and has only lost three fights inside the distance.

Lerena is rated at #2 by the WBA and at #3 by the IBF, with Arslan a high #3 by the WBA and at #4 by the IBF.

This is an intriguing matchup in a battle of southpaws with youth against experience and Lerena having slight advantages in height and reach.

The main organization champions are Yuniel Dorticos (IBF), Ilunga Makabu (WBC), Arsen Goulamrian (WBA “super champion”) and Beibut Shumenov (WBA “regular” champion).

The WBO title is vacant.

This is a must-win for Lerena as it has been reported that he could challenge Shumenov for the WBA belt.

The referee for the Lerena-Arslan fight is Leszek Jankowiak and the judges are Michael Alexander, Jean Robert Laine and Giulio Piras.