Things just became a whole lot more interesting for Kevin Lerena.
The WBC’s interim bridgerweight champion is suddenly swimming in a far bigger pool after the World Boxing Association announced the formation of a super cruiserweight division, matching the WBC’s 200-pound to 220-pound bridgerweight limit.
This is seen as a natural progression given the massive physical gains of heavyweight fighters in the past two decades with big men frequently coming in around the 120kg-125kg mark, often against fighters 10kg or more lighter.
“Small” heavyweights can thus now have a more natural home with the bridgerweight/super cruiserweight division geared for them; so too big cruiserweights like Lerena whose natural development has seen him outgrow the division.
Fresh off his winning effort against Senad Gashi, Lerena may now find himself in a major fight on the undercard of the Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight title bill in 2024.
He could either defend his interim title, challenge for the WBC belt outright or gun for the new WBA belt.
Lennox Lewis and advisor Adrian Ogun, who were both in South Africa to watch Lerena’s fight, will be in Saudi Arabia this month pitching for an opportunity for Lerena.
The South African looks well set at the weight and will doubtless take great heart from the WBA’s decision. Suddenly, there are new contenders, and possibilities, everywhere.
