KEVIN LERENA blew the chance to honour his mum with a sensational underdog win just 24hrs after her death – but earned the chance to pay tribute to her courage.
The 31-year-old South African, who came agonisingly close to stunning Daniel Dubois in the opening round of their 2022 bout, had Justis Huni paralyzed in the tenth and final round but refused to pounce.
GETTYKevin Lerena fought Justis Huni less than a day after the death of his mother[/caption]
REUTERSThe interim WBC bridgerweight champion struggled against the Aussie[/caption]
GETTYHe came close to finishing the fight in the final round[/caption]
The courageous son, who lost his mother on Thursday around the time he was weighing in for the Riyadh show, had 90 seconds to finish the Aussie off but coasted to the bell and lost a unanimous decision.
In the ring after the brave defeat, he said: “There’s no such thing as good timing when somebody dies. Emotionally, it was tough.
“But you can’t take anything away from this young man. He’s a tough competitor. I hurt him in the first, the second and the tenth [rounds].
“So a testament to my guts. It’s back to the drawing board.
“I’m still bridgerweight interim champion. I believe, obviously, that I should have finished him.
“But kudos to him, he stayed up like a tough guy and a young lion.
“Just thanks to everybody for the wishes. it has been challenging, but no excuses.
“My performance tonight isn’t based on my mom. I came out here for my mom in her honour. So thank you very much, everybody.”
But the loss was gutting for fight fans around the world who were willing him on to win after he wrote this heartbreaking statement.
He said: “Today I lost the strongest woman I have ever known.
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REUTERSJustis Huni lands a nasty lead uppercut on the chin of Kevin Lerena[/caption]
“My mom fought tirelessly as a single mom to raise us, and her strength and determination will forever inspire me.
“Even in her final moments she fought until the very end, she fought with all her might.
“Mom, I love you and I will carry on your warrior spirit.
“Tomorrow night, I WILL FIGHT in your honour because you were a LION and you raised a LION Your fight lives on in me, and I will always carry your strength with me.
“Rest peacefully in God’s kingdom, and soar with the angels and now you are finally back with Dad. I love you Mom”
Lerena deserved the opener with the judges after landing the heavier punches and controlling the centre of the ring.
Huni looked dangerous working around the ropes and his clever left-foot pivot was smart, if a little predictable.
Lerena’s excellent first punch of the second round set the tone. A crisp left-hand jab rocked Huni’s vulnerable head back and he struggled to cope with the remaining 179 seconds.
The former cruiserweight landed a brilliant long left hand and at one stage Huni’s thick legs seemed to buckle and shake.
But the Aussie stoically recovered and spent the final 30 seconds trying to snatch back the round, with Lerena catching most of the shots.
Huni earned the third by being far busier, it looked like Lerena took a round off to recover from the power punches he threw and energy blown in the previous two.
The fourth was the closest round, both men looked keen to conserve energy for the remaining six rounds and neither wanted to risk shipping a counter punch.
But Team Lerena in the blue corner kept telling their man to target Huni’s body.
Huni levelled the contest up by the time the sixth had finished, his straight right hands were heavy and he liked to whip a left-hand hook on the end of it, which caught Lerena when he backed away onto the ropes in a straight line and was easy to hit.
GETTYJustis Huni celebrates staying unbeaten against Kevin Lerena[/caption]
The white tape around Lerena’s gold gloves was pink with blood by the seventh, thanks to a cut that had opened over his peppered nose.
But he still landed the cleaner and crisper shots, though Huni’s hands always looked heavier.
Lerena overcommitted to a round-eight combination and was whacked with a horrible right hand that splashed more blood across his face.
It was the first time he looked hurt in the 10-rounder and swayed the close bout in Huni’s favour.
By round nine, the stone muscle difference in Huni’s favour was beginning to show.
Lerena’s best shots were bouncing off his breeze-block head and the fire he returned was malicious.
The final round – with everything to fight for – was bizarre.
Lerena knocked all the sense out of Huni with a brilliant combination and the Queensland man froze.
But baffling Lerena refused to finish him, his prey was paralyzed but he repeatedly rejected the chance to go for the kill.
The judges scored it 96-94, 96-94 and 98-92 to Huni, which was mostly fair apart from Howard Foster’s trademark far-too-wide blunder.