WBC bridgerweight champion Kevin Lerena recently expressed his openness to defending his title against Oleksandr Usyk, the reigning WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBO heavyweight champion. Lerena praised Usyk’s achievements and noted that the Ukrainian icon "can do whatever he wants" in boxing.
"Yes, I would fight Usyk - he’s the one who beat the best," Lerena said. "Right now, he is the face of boxing, so I would absolutely fight him." While Lerena hinted at a possible title defense in Ukraine, originally slated for February then shifted to late March against WBC Silver champion Sergey Radchenko, no firm offer for a fight with Usyk has surfaced.
Watch the official fight highlights: Watch
Lerena also weighed in on Usyk’s recent rematch with Tyson Fury, which Usyk won via unanimous decision on December 21. "I think the fight was closer than the judges believed. I scored it 115–114 or even a draw, but not eight rounds to four," Lerena said, referencing the official 116–112 three times tallies.
The South African champion last fought in March, where he suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Justis Huni. Despite that, Lerena remains confident in his future and open to a potential showdown with Usyk.
Image Credit: DAZN