Johannesburg - South African boxing fans have been starved of quality heavyweight contests for many years, but now they have what looks like a blockbuster bout for the WBA Inter-Continental title between local hero Kevin Lerena and Romanian Bogdan Dinu over 12 rounds on the Golden Gloves bill at the Emperors Palace on Saturday night.
It promises to be a “real deal” heavyweight as both fighters predicted at the presser in Johannesburg on Wednesday that the fight would end early.
Dinu, who arrived in the country this week and who cares little of the rarified Highveld air, said that acclimatising to the local conditions in such a short space of time would not hinder going for a knockout.
“I’m here for a reason,” he said confidently. “I’m not on a holiday nor am I in South Africa on a sight-seeing trip. I’ve come prepared for the fight and I can promise that it will not go the distance. It will be a knockout win in my favour. That belt belongs to me, period.”
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Dinu later said that his Zodiac sign is Leo and added that “lions don’t quit until they finish off their prey”.
“You know what will happen to (Kevin) Lerena on Saturday. He will be in the lion’s den - the result is inevitable. No escape for my opposition,” Dinu concluded.
The Romanian has had 23 professional fights - his record stands at 20 wins (6 knockouts) and three losses.
It says a lot for a man who weighs 118kgs and he does carry a big right, but adds “my left is also very dangerous”.
Talk is “cheap” retorted the Lerena camp as their fighter goes into his first-ever heavyweight contest after a long campaign in the cruiserweight division where he was voted as one of the best in his division for a long time.
Having battled for a while with his weight to make the cruiserweight division, Lerena, who is known as the “KO Kid” decided to move up the weight-division much to the delight of promoter, Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves.
Berman said: “Kevin’s the brightest heavyweight prospect in the continent and I believe he will acquit himself on Saturday. He’s worked hard and has been through the rigours over the past few months.
“I know the time has arrived for him and the big talk from the Romanian will not faze him. He will make himself and South Africa proud and will win his debut heavyweight battle.”
Lerena is expected to come in much lighter than Dinu - he will weigh around 110kg which he believes will give him mobility around the ring.
Meanwhile Savva Savvas manager of South African heavyweight champion, Juan Roux, said as his fighter put the final touches to his training in defence of his title against KwaZulu-Natal’s Joshua Pretorius over 12 rounds - it is the main supporting bout on Saturday night’s bill.
“Forget the past - that’s history,” said Savvas. “I believe this fight will bring back memories of the Gerrie Coetzee-Kallie Knoetze and Mike Schutte-Coetzee fights of yester-year.
FULL BILL
Vacant WBA Inter-continental heavyweight title (12 round): Bogdan Dinu (Romania) v Kevin Lerena (South Africa)
SA heavyweight title (12 rounds): Joshua Pretorius v Juan Roux (champion)
SA Junior-middleweight title (12 rounds): Jamie Webb v Shervantaigh Koopman
Heavyweight (6 rounds): Shaun Potgieter v Keaton Gomes
Middleweight (6 rounds): Phikelani Terence Khumalo v Mbiya Kanku
Iqbal Khan