Kevin Lerena to challenge WBC bridgerweight champion Lawrence Okolie

Boxing warrior Kevin “Two Guns” Lerena will be involved in a history-making bout when he challenges World Boxing Council (WBC) bridgerweight champion Lawrence Okolie. 

Lerena has made great strides in his career, which includes winning and defending the International Boxing Organization (IBO) cruiserweight title six times before relinquishing it as he moved to heavyweight. 

He said the fight will be staged by respected UK promoter Frank Warren of Queensberry at home or in Saudi Arabia at a date to be decided. 

The largest Arab country of the Middle East has become a second home for Warren and his countryman Eddie Hearn, who were signed by chair of Saudi's General Entertainment Authority Turki Alashikh to stage big fights in that part of the country. 

Saudi Arabia is steadily becoming home for super bouts and boxers are being paid huge purse monies. 

They began with WBC heavyweight champ Tyson Fury against MMA star Francis Ngannou in October.  

Fury earned about $50m (R906m) and Ngannou was paid $10m (R181m) for the bout he lost by split points decision. 

In one of their tournaments there, Lerena lost to former Olympian Justis Huni for the WBO Global heavyweight belt at Kingdom Arena, Ryadh on March 3. 

“We are waiting to hear about the location and the date but it will be in the UK or Saudi Arabia,” said Lerena, whose bout against Okolie will be the first for an African fighter to challenge for the belt created by WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman in 2020 to cater for small heavyweight fighters. 

The division sits between the heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions and Lerena is the current WBC bridgerweight interim champion.  

Winning the belt in November last year qualifies him to challenge Okolie. 

The Englishman, a former WBO cruiserweight holder, won the bridgerweight belt from Polish Lukasz Rozanski via a first-round knockout on May 24. 

Lerena said winning the bridgerweight title will be a gateway for him to big lucrative heavyweights fights. 

“Okolie is a very good fighter with lots of power but I do believe he's one dimensional, he is strong in certain areas and very weak in others. He's awkward, but I know what to do to win,” said Lerena, who paid tribute to some “people” who helped him over the years. 

“There are opportunities for everyone if you are good enough, smart enough and marketable. Physically I am at my strongest, I want to make South Africans proud by winning the bridgerweight belt.” 

The fight will be Lerena's 11th world title and his 21st championship boxing match since he fought his first pro bout on November 30 2011.

Lerena's last four fights, specially the one against Daniel Dubois, have been a real test of his character. 

Dubois, once considered a sure-fire world heavyweight champion, was making the first defence of the WBA trinket.  

Lerena's signature punch, a left hook, dropped Dubois, who was in a survival mode, twice taking a knee. 

He failed to press his advantage and let a golden opportunity slip away.  

Dubois shook off the cobwebs, fought his way back into the fight and stopped Lerena in the ensuing round.