SPORTS FEATURE
and the fact that people have come out to support me is motivation on its own,” he says.“ To me, it means we’ re doing something right and entertaining the people.”
After years competing at the highest level, Lerena knows every fight offers something new.
“ You learn from every fight, so for me, every fight is a learning curve: how to be better. That’ s the most important thing, staying better and being better.”
That hunger for improvement has also been sharpened through training with heavyweight star Tyson Fury.
“ Obviously he’ s a great character and a great trainer, and he comes with a lot of experience and heart too.”
So what can fans expect when Lerena returns?
“ The fans can expect a well-polished Kevin Lerena and a big performance,” he says.
But beneath the fighter, champion, and entertainer is a father whose biggest motivation has little to do with belts.
When boxing gets noisy, Lerena turns to his family.
“ My kids and my family keep me grounded,” he says.
“ That’ s what I look at when I’ m not boxing, to be honest.”
For Lerena, legacy is therefore less about titles on a shelf or names on a record and more about the people waiting for him when the gloves come off.
“ The ultimate goal is staying in the moment and making my kids proud,” he says.“ At the end of the day, legacy is how you view it and how you perceive it. For me, it’ s making my kids happy and proud.”
For now, the focus is the next fight, the next camp, and the next time the bell rings.
But beyond the ropes, Lerena is fighting for something bigger: becoming the man his children can look up to. IB
38 INBOUND SA / OCTOBER 2026