SuperSport HQ could be a lively place next week when Kevin Lerena and Ryno Liebenberg spar ahead of the “Super Four” final in October.
Both have different assignments – Lerena fights Micki Nielsen and Liebenberg travels to box Enrico Kölling of Germany – but there is bound to be a fair bit of needle at the media workout.
Promoter Rodney Berman, though, insists that they help one another for what could be career-defining bouts. Lerena is on the cusp of a top 10 ranking, while Liebenberg desperately needs to get back into the win column.
Berman is a little miffed that Erik Skoglund is rated ninth by the WBC while Liebenberg doesn’t get a look-in. This is despite pushing the Swede all the way recently in a fight many neutral observers said should have been called a draw. Liebenberg banged Skoglund up and, if YouTube is any indication, deserved better from the judges, notwithstanding that he was fighting in Skoglund’s back yard.
“I have written to the WBC bringing this to their attention,” said Berman. “Hopefully Ryno will get a position in their rankings, which he deserves.”
He has also alerted WBC boss Mauricio Sulaiman to the status of the Super Four, especially as Nielsen is at number 10 among cruiserweights.
What’s more, he has also informed Sulaiman of Hekkie Budler’s fight against Siyabonga Siyo on October 22. Budler has always dreamed of fighting for the WBC crown and Berman hopes that a potential victory on October 22 will see him elevated in the rankings.
