Cruiserweight contender Kevin Lerena defeated previously-unbeaten Vasil Ducar by unanimous decision Saturday night at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, South Africa.
With the win, Lerena improves to 23-1, 10 knockouts.
The 27-year-old Lerena, who resides in nearby Johannesburg, was coming off a knockout victory contender Artur Mann in his previous fight on Mar. 16. It was Lerena’s first fight in over nine months after going through rehabilitation from surgery on his shoulder.
Lerena, a southpaw, was the aggressor from the opening bell, mixing his attack as Ducar kept his guard up with his gloves up to his ears. Lerena mixed his attack by going to the body and feinting to the head in an attempt to have Ducar open up.
Ducar did land an occasional hook or cross, but Lerena was the more-dominant fighter throughout most of the fight.
Scores were 117-111, 119-109, and 120-108 for Lerena, who is ranked amongst the top-10 in three of boxing’s major sanctioning bodies, with a No. 7 ranking by the WBC.
The 29-year-old Ducar, who resides in Brno in the Czech Republic, drops to 7-1-1, 6 KOs.
In a clash of junior welterweights who reside in South Africa, Jabulani Makhense defeated Michael Mokoena (14-3, 9 KOs) by unanimous decision. Scores were 119-109, 117-111, and 116-112 for Makhense, who improves to 8-0, 4 KOs.
Unbeaten junior middleweight prospect Boyd Allen (4-0-1, 3 KOs) fought to a majority-decision draw against Kazakhstan’s Alexandr Zhuravskiy. One judge scores the bout 77-75 for Allen, while the other two judges scored the bout 76-76.
Zhuravskiy (13-5-1, 11 KOs) is now winless in his last four bouts.
In a clash of unbeaten cruiserweights, Keaton Gomes defeated Amador Kalonji (3-1, 1 KO) by majority decision.
One judge scored the bout 57-57, while the other two judges scored the bout 58-56 for Gomes, who improves to 6-0, 4 KOs.
Junior bantamweight Ricardo Malajika (4-0, 3 KOs) remained unbeaten by knocking out Arnel Lubisi in the opening round.
In middleweight action, Aidan Quin (2-0, 2 KOs) stopped Pieter de Klerk (1-2, 1 KO) in the third round.
–boxingscene
