Career
Van Heerden started his professional career in 2006. He quickly emerged as a top fighter in African continent, which he subsequently proved by snapping South African and Ahmadu Bello University welterwight titles. However in 2010 he suffered his first loss in the professional ring to Serbian Ivica Stevanovic for IBF Inter-Continental light middleweight title.
This fight, though, did not stop him from rise to success.
In 2009 he prevailed over fellow South African Kaizer Mabuza and gained IBO welterweight belt. In winter 2013 van Heerden decided to relocate to the United States.
Van Heerden currently resides in Los Angeles, California. He is one of the most successful boxers from South Africa and despite living in the United States of America now, he still enjoys high popularity in his homeland.