Kevin Lerena named a candidate for South African Athlete of the Year

Former world champion Kevin Larena showed fans his intense training program as he cuts weight in preparation for his return to the WBC cruiserweight title fight scheduled for November 7th.

Following the confirmation of the cruiserweight bout on November 7th, former world champion Kevin Larena shared details of his rigorous routine, which is helping him go through the weight loss process for the lighter weight class.

The 34-year-old athlete aims to recover from a disappointing loss at the end of May, when he lost to Belgian opponent Riyadh Merhi, losing the WBC bantamweight title. This defeat prompted Larena, who typically weighs around 100 kg, to make a firm decision to return to the cruiserweight division, which has a strict limit of 90.7 kg.

The South African contender is actively working out at the gym, focusing on losing the necessary weight. In a video posted on his Facebook page, Larena detailed an energy-draining 48-minute workout.

This training cycle includes repeating blocks consisting of three minutes of treadmill sprints, followed by three minutes of sled pulls, sandbag lunges, weighted boxing, and rope pull-ups. To increase the intensity, Larena performs this grueling program twice in a row, which is particularly notable given that he completed the session on Sunday.

Previously, speaking to IOL regarding the division change, Larena reflected on returning to the familiar category. He noted: 'Moving to cruiserweight is returning to a division where I spent a lot of time. I reigned there as a world champion for a couple of years, and my huge goal is to come back and make the required weight. I currently weigh 96.9 kg—effectively 97 kg, so the weight is coming off. I am in good shape, mentally positive, and physically ready. I tried heavyweight, and bantamweight was not bad, but I want to be a world champion in cruiserweight again because this division was very kind to me.'

Kevin Lerena announced that his return to the WBC Cruiserweight division will take place on November 7th at the Sandton Convention Centre. He shared this information on Thursday in an exclusive interview with IOL.

Lerena noted that as the fifth-ranked fighter in the WBC rankings, his next goal is to fight for the world championship title, but he must secure a victory before achieving that.

Currently, details of the upcoming event, including the name of Lerena's opponent, have not been disclosed.

The 34-year-old boxer is returning after an unsuccessful loss that occurred at the end of May. At that time, he lost his WBC Bridgerweight title to Belgian rival Riyadh Merhi. In a tense 12-round bout, which was a rematch of their 2023 meeting in Johannesburg, the judges awarded Merhi the victory with scores of 116–112, 117–111, and 115–113.

This defeat prompted Lerena to make a firm decision to move back to the cruiserweight category, where the maximum weight is 90.7 kg. He is currently training intensively in the gym, focusing on weight reduction to meet the division's requirements.

Lerena explained that moving to cruiserweight is a return to a division where he spent significant time. He recalled holding the world championship title in this category for a period, and his main objective is once again to cut weight and return there. He currently weighs 96.9 kg, which is effectively around 97 kg, so the weight loss process is in full swing.

He emphasized that he is in good mental shape and physically ready. Although he has experience in heavyweight and bridgerweight, he wishes to become the world champion in the cruiserweight division again, as this division has provided him with great support.

Reducing his weight to 90.7 kg presents a challenging task, but Lerena approaches it philosophically. He believes it only requires discipline, noting that everything is interconnected, and it involves adjusting the training regimen, changing the environment, and making necessary changes.

Despite being over thirty, Lerena remains confident that his best fights are yet to come. He stated that while he does not intend to box forever, he sincerely believes he still has strong three to four years in his prime. He added that they will consider further steps after this period, but for now, he is full of enthusiasm and aims to become a three-time world champion.