IBO cruiserweight champion Lerena headlines international bill
INTERNATIONAL Boxing Organisation (IBO) cruiserweight champion Kevin Lerena will look to retain his title when he takes on Germany’s Artur Mann at Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park tomorrow.
The SA southpaw Lerena has a record of 21 wins (nine by knockout) and one loss as a professional since November 2011. He won the vacant IBO cruiserweight belt in September 2017 on a 12-round split decision against Youri Kayembre Kalenga.
He defended his belt against Dmytro Kucher and Roman Golovashchenko, and won on unanimous points decisions.
Hanover-based Mann, 28, has a record of 15-0. He is rated at No. 21 by the IBO and has fought mostly unknown opponents.
Mann has only been 10 rounds twice. The only time he fought through the championship distance of 12 rounds was when he outpointed Alexander Peil (10-0) on a unanimous decision for the vacant Global Union Intercontinental and WBO International cruiserweight titles in June 2018.
Lerena and Mann are not power punchers, but the champion should win on a point’s decision unless the challenger is better than his record suggests.
Lerena is ranked at No. 11 by the WBA and IBF, and Mann is listed at No. 30 by the WBC and at No. 10 by the IBF.
One of the best fighters pound-forpound in the world, Oleksandr Usyk, holds all four of the major organisation belts and is looking to move up a weight division, which will open doors for Lerena.
Frank Rodrigues (5-1; 4) will take on Michael Markram (3-1: 2) for the vacant Gauteng light-heavyweight title and John Bopape (6-5; 6) will meet Boyd Allen (2-0; 2) for the vacant WBA Pan African junior-middleweight title.
In the opening bout on a packed undercard Xhek Pascali (Germany) meets Alex Kabangu (DRC) in a light-heavyweight contest scheduled for four rounds and in an eight-round junior-middleweight bout, Thembelani Mhlanga faces Roarke Knapp.
Also on the bill is a six-round welterweight contest between Timo Schwarzkopf (Germany) and Gift Bholo (South Africa). | African News Agency (ANA) THE HIGHLANDERS have handed a debut to Jack Whetton, a scion of New Zealand rugby royalty, for tomorrow’s south island derby against Super Rugby champions the Crusaders in Dunedin.
Whetton, whose father Gary and uncle Alan were stalwart All Black locks, will replace Pari Pari Parkinson in the second row as the Highlanders look to end to the Crusaders’ 19-match unbeaten streak.
The 26-year-old made his Super Rugby debut for Australia’s Brumbies in 2014, but spent four years playing in Europe before returning to New Zealand last season. He might have hoped for an easier transition back into the provincial competition than a match against the nine-time champions, who have been in dominant form this season and last lost in the corresponding fixture last year.
Parkinson and Thomas UmagaJensen both suffered concussions in last week’s narrow loss to the Hurricanes and Teihorangi Walden starts in the centres in place of the latter, while Shannon Frizell comes into the pack at blindside flank.
The Crusaders welcome captain Sam Whitelock back to their already All Black-laden pack for his first game of the season. Whitelock, will line up in the second row with in-form Test lock Scott Barrett, while Test prop Owen Franks and flank Matt Todd return after being rested last week. |