Belgium plays host to an intriguing rematch this Saturday as South Africa’s Kevin Lerena puts his WBC World Bridgerweight Title on the line against Belgium’s Ryad Merhy for a second time in what promises to be another competitive showdown at the Hall des Expositions in Charleroi.
The pair first met back in 2023 where Lerena claimed a unanimous decision victory but both fighters have remained active since then and now return for a highly anticipated rematch. We take a closer look at the fight from a betting perspective below.
KEVIN LERENA vs RYAD MERHY 2
WBC World Bridgerweight Title Fight (12 Rounds):
Kevin Lerena enters this rematch with a professional record of 31 wins and 4 defeats, with 15 of those victories coming via knockout. The South African southpaw has established himself as one of the toughest and most durable fighters in the heavyweight scene using movement, stamina and ring intelligence to trouble bigger opponents.
Lerena has shared the ring with high-level opposition throughout his career and continues to prove he belongs amongst elite contenders. His latest outing came against Lawrence Okolie in May where he suffered a unanimous decision defeat over twelve rounds. Prior to that he stopped Serhiy Radchenko in the third round after losing on points to unbeaten at the time Australian prospect Justis Huni in March 2024.
One of Lerena’s biggest strengths remains his work rate and ability to control the tempo across long fights. He already owns a victory over Merhy and will carry confidence into this contest knowing he managed the Belgian’s pressure effectively in their first meeting.
Ryad Merhy arrives with an impressive record of 35 wins and just 3 defeats, including 29 knockouts which indicates just how lethal his striking is. The Belgian fighter possesses serious punching power and has consistently shown he can end fights early when he finds his rhythm.
Following his decision defeat to Jared Anderson in April 2024, Merhy rebuilt momentum with a string of stoppage victories. He knocked out Halim Haxhijaj in the opening round before stopping Andrej Pesic in the fourth and he most recently beat Gora Niang inside three rounds when they met in October last year.
The first encounter with Lerena exposed some difficulties for Merhy when dealing with movement and sustained output over twelve rounds. However, fighting at home in Belgium could provide him with added flair and he is likely to press forward aggressively from the opening bell in an attempt to avoid another bout with Lerena going the distance.
BETTING – Click here to bet
Lerena 1.59
Merhy 2.30
PREDICTION:
I believe this rematch will once again be closely contested, especially with Merhy expected to apply more pressure early on in front of his home crowd and based on his latest performances. On the other hand, Lerena’s movement, conditioning and ability to manage the pace over championship rounds make him the rightful favourite heading into the weekend. I expect Merhy to enjoy success in patches but Lerena’s cleaner combinations and higher output should see him clinch another decision victory on the scorecards and allow him to hold onto his title.
SUGGESTED BET:
Lerena to Win on Points at 2.05
If you think the fight will end early consider the Under 10.5 Rounds play at 4.33
Note: All odds are correct at time of writing but are subject to change.
