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WATCH: Kevin Lerena sets eyes on Tyson Fury in ‘glamour’ division
“Whoever has a world title, I want to challenge them. The last South African to get a world heavyweight title was Corrie Sanders back in 2002."
South African heavyweight boxer Kevin Lerena Photo: Sibongumenzi Sibiya
Kevin Lerena is a firm believer that if you don’t try, you live with regrets because you never know if it would have worked out or not.
That is why the 30-year-old has decided to step up to the heavyweight division which he describes as the elite division in boxing.
“I want to challenge for the world title. Right now I am winning the intercontinental belts which is a step to the world title,” Lerena told The Citizen.
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Lerena has had 29 fights. The southpaw has won a whopping 28 and lost one which he says he learnt a lot from and became an even better boxer afterwards.
In an exclusive interview, he told us about his journey and where his career started and where he wants to go.
But chief on his bucket list now is a heavyweight world championship belt. And he has his eyes on the division’s best like Tyson Fury and Aleksander Usek.
‘Grab with both hands’
“Whoever has a world title, I want to challenge them. The last South African to get a world heavyweight title was Corrie Sanders back in 2002.
“I have taken it upon me to make South Africa proud. I represent South Africa… To become a world title challenger is history on its own.
“It is an open division and all the champions are really good. You have guys like Aleksander Usek, a terrific boxer… There is (Anthony) Joshua, there is Tyson Fury who is very good, big and strong.
“To be honest, I don’t have my eyes directly on one of them. Whoever I get to fight between them it would be a big monetary fight and it is a big opportunity.
“Whichever opportunity comes first, I will grab it with both hands,” said Lerena.
ALSO READ: Another big step forward for Lerena in heavyweight division
He says after winning seven world titles in the cruiserweight division, he felt he had done it all and needed to challenge himself in boxing’s elite division.
“The journey is going good and so now it is about getting into the heavyweight top 10 and challenging for the titles – taking it step by step.
“Heavyweight is the glamorous division and let’s not lie, it is also where the money is in boxing. If you talk boxing, you talk heavyweight…
“It’s a glamour division, it’s a harder division. I am excited but I know it is a mountain to climb but listen, if you don’t try, you can never know,” added Lerena.
