Latest news with #LerenaArmy
IOL News
01-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Kevin 'Two Guns' Lerena promises to knock Ukranian Serhiy Radchenko's sparks out
Kevin Lerena is fondly referred to as 'Two Guns' in relation to the explosion he carries in both his punches. Photo: David Ritchie/Independent Media Image: David Ritchie/Independent Media Kevin Lerena was calm as he always is in the face of an adversary making feeble attempts at unsettling him. South African boxing's 'blue-eyed boy' stared directly into Serhiy Radchenko as the Ukrainian tried to threaten him during Wednesday's weigh-in for their WBC bridgerweight world title fight at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria on Thursday night. Having just made the weight limit (101.6 is the limit) by tipping the scales at 101.4kg) nearly a good five kilograms more than his opponent over whom he towered, Lerena will be out to give himself a special pre-birthday gift of holding on to his belt. The man fondly referred to as 'Two Guns' in relation to the explosion he carries in both his punches turns 33 in four days' time. As they faced off after the weigh-in, Radchenko could be seen mouthing off at Lerena who remained stone-cold to the challenger's surprise. Eventually the champion got out of face-off mode and the two boxers shared a laugh and a quick embrace before Lerena made his intentions known. 'We've got a fight and I told them (the Radchenko camp) that they are going in there with a different beast. And I promise you, I am going to knock his sparks out,' he said to loud cheers from the Lerena Army. In what is an historic maiden WBC world championship title defence by a South African on home soil, the main bout of Legacy Promotions' 'The Reckoning' promises to once again showcase the superb boxer Lerena is. A former IBO cruiserweight world champion, Two Guns became bridgerweight world champion after the incumbent Lawrence Okoie vacated the title with his move up to the heavyweight division in October last year. Lerena was the interim champion and thus mandatory challenger having beaten Sened Gashi in 2023. He now gets to validate his position with this fight against the silver bridgerweight champion who is on a four-fight winning streak. Lerena is unperturbed as he usually is by the quality of opponent and is focused on delivering the goods and sending his huge support base into celebrations. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The Talking is Done 🤫 Tonight we go to WAR 🥊 Join us at the Sunbet Arena, Times Square Pretoria 🏟️ Catch all the action live on Your World of Champions Supersport channel 209 across the Sub-Saharan Africa 🇿🇦 and stream it live on DAZN worldwide! || @SuperSportTV & @DAZNBoxing — Kevin Lerena (@Kevlerenaboxing) May 1, 2025
The Citizen
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Kevin Lerena: ‘Special to put WBC title on the line on SA soil'
The popular South African boxer is looking forward to fighting in front of his own fans. Kevin Lerena will be back in the ring on Thursday night. Picture: Supplied Reigning WBC bridgerweight world champion Kevin Lerena said it was an 'incredible feeling' to be able to put his belt on the line on home soil when he does so on Thursday night in a big boxing extravaganza in Pretoria. Lerena will go up against Ukrainian Serhiy Radchenko over 12 rounds in the main bout of 'The Reckoning', which is being held at the Sunbet Arena. This will be the first time a WBC world title will be defended on South African soil – a landmark moment for boxing in South Africa, according to the organisers. 'It's an incredible feeling to defend the WBC world title on home soil,' said Lerena. 'Being the first to do so in South African history makes it even more special, and becoming only the third-ever WBC champion is a huge honour. To be able to do it in front of my home fans and my loyal Lerena Army is truly special, and it's an honour to make history with them.' Radchenko on four-fight win streak Lerena claimed the interim title in November 2023 with a unanimous decision over Senad Gashi and was elevated to full champion in October 2024 when Lawrence Okolie moved up to heavyweight. The bridgerweight division, originally created by the WBC and later adopted by the WBA, sits between cruiserweight and heavyweight with a 224 lb limit (101.6kg). Radchenko (11-7, 5 KOs), ranked fifth in the division, comes into the fight on a four-fight win streak, having recently outpointed 15-2-1 Andrej Pesic in Kiev. At 37, he aims to cause an upset in what promises to be a thrilling clash. Lerena has 30 wins from 33 fights. The fight card includes two thrilling day-time bouts while the co-main event will see Tulz Mbenge go up against Emmanuel Mungandjela over 10 rounds in the welterweight division. The undercard fights will feature Thabiso Mchunu against Amandor Kalonji (cruiserweight), Chris Thompson against Mussa Ajibu (heavyweight), Lindo Khuzwayo against Sthembiso Maduna (featherweight) and Tietsetso Matikinca against Mbulelo Gubula (bantamweight).
