By Ron Jackson

South Africa’s Kevin Lerena coming into the ring with a big roar from the local crowd completely dominated Bogdan Dinu of Romania before scoring a fourth-round stoppage in a scheduled 12 rounder to win the vacant WBA Intercontinental heavyweight title at Emperors Palace near Kempton Park on Saturday night.

In the first two rounds there was very little in it as out both fighters moved around sparring for openings. In the third round Dinu (114kg) went down against the ropes claiming a low blow and after writhing around holding his cup he eventually got up to finish the round.

In round four the superbly conditioned southpaw Lerena (104.80kg) continued to press the action and scored a knockdown with a right to the head.

Dinu managed to beat the count but soon afterward was sent down for the full count with a right-left combination.

This was a fine performance by Lerena, 30, who improved his record to 27-1, 13 KOs and the rather disappointing 35-year-old Dinu saw his record drop to 20-4, 16 KOs as he appeared to be looking for an easy way out and was lucky not to have his purse withdrawn.

JOSHUA PRETORIUS WINS TWO TITLES

A well-conditioned Joshua Pretorius (104.30kg) won the South African heavyweight title and the vacant African Boxing Union heavyweight titles on a 12 round unanimous points decision over defending South African heavyweight champion Juan Roux (130.70kg).

The scores were 118-100, 118-112 and 116-112.

Roux who was making the first defense of the South African title appeared slow and sluggish and never got into the fights as Pretorius sent his head back time again with the left jab and boxed his way to a deserved decision.

SHERVANTA KOOPMAN RETAINS IBF AFRICA TITLE

South African and IBF Africa junior middleweight champion Shervantaigh Koopman was most impressive in scoring a fifth-round technical knockout win over Jamie Webb to retain the IBF title. The South African title was not on the line.

Time was I minute 42 seconds.

In two other bouts, heavyweight Keaton Gomes won on a first round stoppage over Shaun Potgieter (Time 1:20) and in a middleweight encounter Mbiya Kanku (DRC) won on second technical knockout against Phikelani Khumalo (Time 1:33)

The tournament was presented by Golden Gloves Promotions.