WBF president praises newly crowned WBC international champion Lerena

History will likely judge newly crowned WBC international cruiserweight champion Kevin “Two Guns” Lerena as one of SA’s most resilient and versatile modern boxing champions.

This is according to WBF president Howard Goldberg, who gave Lerena his first title opportunity in his eighth professional bout in September 2013 at the Heartfelt Arena in Pretoria.

Ushered to war by trainers Peter Smith and his brothers Sean and George, Lerena, then known as the “KO Kid”, dropped Ibrahim Labaran of Ghana three times — once in the first round and twice in the second — forcing referee Eddy Marshall to halt the contest just 30 seconds into the second round and declare Lerena the winner of the WBF Africa cruiserweight title.

“He’s done amazingly well for his career,” said 70-year-old Goldberg, a former boxing referee and judge for over 50 world title fights and numerous South African title bouts. “He works harder, trains harder and is dedicated to his craft.”

“He works harder, trains harder and is dedicated to his craft.” — WBF president Howard Goldberg

Having turned professional at 18, left-handed Lerena has built a highly commendable career with 31 wins, 15 knockouts and five losses through pure grit, spatial intelligence and technical evolution.

”I would like to see him stay at the cruiserweights," said Goldberg.

Lerena, whose successful career path was mapped out by respected veteran boxing promoter Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves, is rated among the top cruiserweights in the world.

“Credit to him and his team,” Goldberg added. ‘Kevin brings crowds, which is the main thing about boxing.”

The No 6 contender for the WBC cruiserweight belt, held by Poland’s Michael Cieslak, returned to that weight class on Saturday.

He defeated South African-born, Scotland-based Scott “Furious” Forrest via a unanimous decision for the WBC’s international title. The judges scored the 10-round bout 97–92, 97–92, and 98–91 in Lerena’s favour.

Lerena last fought as a cruiserweight in 2020 when he still held the IBO belt, which he defended successfully six times, before vacating it as he moved up to the heavyweight class.

Lerena fought big guns, including Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois, before moving down to bridgerweight, a division WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán created in 2020.

Lerena became world champion in that weight division, which sits between the heavyweight and cruiserweight classes.

Lerena lost in the attempt at a second successful defence against Ryad Merhy in Belgium on May 30.

He came back home, shed over 16 kilograms and returned to cruiserweight.

His legacy splits into distinct chapters that boxing historians will analyse.

To the broader global boxing audience, Lerena will always be remembered for the chaotic, dramatic night in December 2022 when he fought but lost to Dubois for the WBA heavyweight world title.

Lerena shockingly dropped Dubois three times in the very first round, though Dubois ultimately rallied to stop him.

The opening round remains a defining example of Lerena’s dangerous southpaw power and willingness to take immense risks on the sport’s biggest stages.

Rather than letting setbacks at heavyweight and bridgerweight define the end of his career — such as competitive losses to elite operators like Lawrence Okolie, Justis Huni, and Merhy — Lerena chose a path of ultimate discipline.

While his record features losses when stepping up to the absolute apex of the heavyweight division, history will look past the simple numbers.

He will be remembered as an overachieving master of reinvention — a multiweight champion who went from a rugby-loving kid with no amateur experience to the absolute pinnacle of world boxing.

Sowetan