By Ron Jackson
South Africa’s Kevin Lerena returns to action Saturday 13 May at Emperors Palace near Kempton Park in South Africa, when he meets the capable former WBA cruiserweight champion, Côte D’Ivoire-born Ryad Merhy who fights out of Brussels, Belgium, in a WBC bridgerweight title eliminator.
The bridgerweight class (200-224 pounds) was created by the World Boxing Council in July 2020 and is the only boxing organiztaion to recognize this weight class.
The first world championship fight took place on 22 October between Oscar Rivas and Ryan Rozicki, with Rivas winning on a 12 round unanimous points decision. The title is currently vacant with Merhy rated at No. 2 and Lerena at No. 4 in the latest ratings.
Since making his pro debut on 30 November 2011, the always superbly conditioned Lerena (28-2, 14 KOs) 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 last fight on 3 December 2022 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.
Merhy, 30, has compiled a record of 31-1, 26 KOs, with a 81.25% knockout ratio since making his pro debut on 28 June 2013, with his only loss coming against Arsen Goulamirian (22-0) on 24 March 2018 for WBA interim cruiserweight title.
This is possibly the toughest opponent that Lerena has come against in his nearly 12 year career, but always superbly conditioned he will be there all he way.
UNDERCARD
On the undercard Keaton Gomes (9-2, 7 KOs) makes the first defence of his South African heavyweight title against former South African champion Josh Pretorius (9-6, 5 KOs).
The tournament is presented by Golden Gloves Promotions who have been promoting since 1977 and will be shown live on Supersport.
Complete craziness. 2 nobody’s fighting in a nonexistent division.
This is the weight where Lerena should be fighting. Having gone up to heavyweight was brave, but would not work out facing the real big heavies.
Thinking like this contributes to creation of these weight classes.
Michael St. John – Agree in the sense I do not myself like all the additional weight classes. Not sure though what the solution would be for the small hw’s facing these giant hw’s nowadays. Even Joyce on Sat looked the smaller hw vs Zhang.
Yeah smaller HWs have no chance. Look at that blown up CW Usyk who should obviously stick with the BW or maybe go back to CW so he won’t get hurt.
Or maybe the 215lb, soaking wet Wilder. Or Mike Hunter, who KTFO that 260+ Bakole.
Yeah none of these guys would stand a chance against giants like 270lb Ruiz, who probably could make CW if he worked with a decent dietician.
WOW!!! Are we about to have a champion crowned a bridgerweight??!!!! Unbelievable!!! I don’t know which way is up anymore.
Only the sanctioning bodies win.
I don’t care which weight they’re fighting at, at least on paper, Merhy – Lerena is a good fight. Works for me.
Agree it’s a matter of skills not weight…
Clearly this article was written by Lerena’s agent 🙂 . Did Rivas get stripped of the 224lbs. title? That’s what I need to know.! Or did he realize he’d be better off as a HW and not a Jr. HW or Supercruiserweight?
Rivas has detached retina, so I think they made him champion emeritus.
I suspect Lerena is still having sleepness nights about the Dubois opportunity he let slip. Merhy is tough and I am expecting a super tough fight for Kevin.
Here, let me fix your copy…
“The Bridgerweight class (200-224 pounds), which should, if it exists at all, be called Super Cruiserweight, was created by the WBC during a Mauricio Sulaiman jalapeno-induced fever dream; and is the only boxing organization to recognize this weight class because all the others and boxing fans worldwide believe it to be a fucking joke.”