By Ron Jackson
South Africa’ Kevin Lerena is the odds-on favorite when he makes the fifth defense of his IBO cruiserweight belt against the 40-year-old Sefer Seferi of Albania at Emperors Palace near Kempton Park on Saturday night.
The 27-year-old Lerena (23-1, 10 KOs) who fights from the southpaw won the vacant IBO cruiserweight belt on a split decision against Youri Kayembre (23-3) in a hard-fought encounter at Emperors Palace in September 2017 and has made successful defenses against Dmytro Kucher (ud 12), Roman Golovashchenko (ud 12), Artur Mann (tko 4) and Vasil Ducar (ud 12) all at Emperors Palace, except for the win over Golovashchenko which was in Baku.
The only loss on Lerena’s record came against Johnny Muller on points in November 2014.
However, in a return match in April 2016 he stopped Muller in the tenth round in a clash for the vacant WBA Pan African cruiserweight title.
Lerena is rated at #5 by the WBC, #6 by the WBA and at #11 by the IBF according to the ratings on Fightnews.com.
Seferi is not rated by any of the main organizations but is listed at #30 by the IBO.
Very little is known about Seferi who was born in Gostivar, Macedonia and made his pro debut in May 2007
He won his first 20 fights against low level opposition fighting at cruiserweight, all inside the distance, except for two six round points victories.
Moving up to heavyweight on September 17, 2016 he took on the much heavier Manuel Charr in a clash for the vacant WBA International heavyweight title and lost on points over ten rounds.
On June 6, 2018 he met the former WBA/IBF/WBO and IBO undefeated heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in Manchester and was smashed to defeat in four rounds.
In his most recent fight on November 17 last year he fought to a majority 12 round draw with the vastly more experienced Firat Arslan (44-8-2) for the vacant WBO Intercontinental cruiserweight title.
Seferi will have height and reach advantages over Lerena and known as a switch-hitter he always comes into the ring in superb condition which belies has age of forty.
With a record 23-2-1, 21 KOs, Seferi is undoubtedly tough and could extend the champion in an intriguing 12-rounder.
WBA/IBF JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT AFRICA TITLE
In the main supporting bout in what could be an intriguing matchup Jabulani Makhense the WBA champion meets Marios Matamba the IBF champion in a 12 round junior welterweight Africa championship fight.
UNDERCARD
Junior middleweight: 4 rounds, Aidan Quin vs Thembani Mhlanga; 4 rounds, Light heavyweight, Michael Markram vs Mduduzsi Moyo; Gauteng cruiserweight title 10 rounds: Keaton Gomes vs Lebogang Mashitoa.
The tournament is presented by Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves Promotions.
I don’t understand the benefit of this match up. Seferi has only one halfway decent win on his ledger: Firat Arslan who is already 48! and has mostly fought unknown fighters throughout his career. The only times Seferi fought good opposition (Fury, Charr), he lost badly.
Lerena, on the other hand has one of the better records in the division but he still keeps fighting relatively weak opponents. One would think that its time for Lerena to step up the level of opposition.
Lerena won’t gain much from this fight, even though it should be a fairly easy win for him.