Latest news with #TheReckoning
Mint
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
‘Never evolved and that's dangerous': Mary Trump's chilling warning about her uncle
Mary Trump, the estranged niece of US President Donald Trump, launched a scathing personal and political attack on her uncle at the Hay Festival in Wales, declaring he 'has never evolved' and remains 'incapable of forming close relationships.' Speaking during a session on her latest book, Who Could Ever Love You, Mary Trump, daughter of Donald Trump's older brother, Fred Trump Jr, said, she is now estranged from all members of the Trump family except her daughter. The new book continues her long-standing criticism of the president, building on her previous bestsellers Too Much and Never Enough and The Reckoning. According to a report in The Guardian, Mary Trump recounted her brief stint ghostwriting her uncle's second book when she was in her 20s. 'I can't say we got closer, because Donald isn't close with anybody,' she said. 'But working with him for six months in his office, I got a little bit more insight.' Mary Trump, reportedly a trained psychologist, offered a psychological critique of her uncle's temperament. 'He is the only person I've ever met who's never evolved, which is dangerous, by the way,' she said. 'Never choose as your leader somebody who's incapable of evolving – that should be one of the lessons we've learned, for sure,' The Guardian reported. She went further, as per the report, calling Donald Trump 'one of the most provincial people I know,' adding, 'that does not serve us well, at all.' Quoting a passage from her book, Mary described her father's friend's early encounter with Donald: 'He was a cocky, rude teenager, who was intensely jealous of his older brother, Freddie. Donald didn't have any friends, so she felt sorry for him, but whenever they included him, they regretted it.' In 2021, Donald Trump sued Mary Trump for $100 million, accusing her of sharing confidential financial records with The New York Times, the news outlet stated. Reflecting on the lawsuit, Mary was quoted as saying that it sent 'a very clear message to me'. 'But what if everybody capitulates? Then what? Well, then we lose, and that's unacceptable.'
TimesLIVE
06-05-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Bridgerweight a blessing for South Africa's smaller heavyweight boxers
The World Boxing Council's (WBC) newly-established bridgerweight division, its 18th weight class, has come as a blessing to South African fighters, especially those who have been campaigning in the heavyweight division. Established by WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán in 2020, the division sits between the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. It caters for small heavyweight fighters, with a weight limit of 106kg. Former IBO cruiserweight champion Kevin Lerena rules the division with an iron fist after his stunning defeat of Ukrainian Serhiy Radchenko in Pretoria on Thursday. South African heavyweight champion Shaun Potgieter and former national heavyweight champions Chris Thompson and Keaton Gomes are also rated in that weight class. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐭 🤜💥🤛 Kevin Lerena successfully defends his WBC Bridgerweight title on home soil 🇿🇦 #TheReckoning — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) May 1, 2025 Gomes won his debut match in the division in the WBC Grand Prix Series in Saudi Arabia last month. Former Gauteng and WBA Pan African cruiserweight champ Akani Phuzi won his first fight in that weight class last weekend. His trainer/manager, Damien Durandt, said: 'The plan is to campaign at international level.' South Africa has always struggled to produce fully-fledged heavyweight boxers, except for Gerrie Coetzee, whose weight was about 115kg. Coetzee's size made it possible for him to stand and trade blows with the likes of John Tate, Mike Weaver, Greg Page, Michael Dokes and Frank Bruno, though most of these stopped him within scheduled distances. Corrie Sanders was a small heavyweight at 109kg. He defeated fringe opponents en route to winning the WBU belt, which he defended successfully three times against average opponents. The moment he met a credible, fully-fledged heavyweight contender in Hasim Rahman, who weighed 129kg, Sanders' size was exposed. He just could not hurt the American, who stopped him in round seven in 2000. Sanders' hand speed was his best weapon, and it helped him win the WBO title in 2003 via a second-round stoppage of Wladimir Klitschko. Sanders' reign was short-lived. Kitschko's brother, Vitali Klitschko, stopped him in eight rounds the next year. Pierre Coetzer was similar to Sanders in track record. Coetzer reigned supreme as the national heavyweight champ. However he was knocked out in round one by American Bernard Benton, a full-blown former WBC and The Ring cruiserweight champion, who made his debut in the heavyweight division against Coetzer at Standard Bank Arena on September 28 1987. Coetzer made the biggest mistake of his life in facing George Foreman, who severely punished him, ultimately winning by a technical knockout in the eighth round. Foreman dominated the fight with his powerful punches, knocking Coetzer down twice and causing significant damage. The referee stopped the fight after the second knock-down. Francois Botha, who weighed 118kg, was not deterred by his smallness. He mixed it with the likes of Axel Schultz, Mike Tyson, Shannon Briggs, Lennox Lewis and Michael Grant in his illustrious career, which saw him win the IBF and WBF belts.
IOL News
02-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Kevin Lerena after Serhiy Radchenko knockout victory: 'I can beat anyone'
DOMINANT Kevin Lerena triumphed with a dominant knockout victory over Serhiy Radchenko in Pretoria, defending his WBC Bridgerweight title and hinting at another big fight ahead. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix Following his knockout victory over Ukraine's Serhiy Radchenko in his WBC Bridgerweight title defence in Pretoria on Thursday, South Africa's Kevin Lerena says there's another big fight on the horizon. Lerena dominated his opponent from the second round in the fight titled The Reckoning organised by Legacy Boxing, when he floored Radchenko three times. To Radchenko's credit, though, he got back up every time, even after he was strewn flat on his back the second time he was knocked down. At a packed Sunbet Arena at Time Square, though, Lerena showed no mercy, in the third round, he let loose once more and this time when Radchenko fell to the canvas, his camp threw in the towel. In the lead-up to the fight, the 32-year-old Lerena talked up his ability, saying he was a 'different beast' and this his victory would be guaranteed, and he backed up those fighting words on the night.
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 Star
30-04-2025
- Sport
- The Star
SA star Kevin Lerena set for historic WBC bridgerweight title defence against Serhiy Radchenko
FIGHTING WORDS Kevin Lerena (second from left) did not 'pull any punches' in his pre-fight press conference ahead of his WBC bridgerweight title bout at The Reckoning against Serhiy Radchenko in Pretoria. Photo: FARRYN SHERMAN Image: Farryn Sherman Kevin Lerena will take to the heart of the squared circle as he puts his WBC bridgerweight title on the line against Ukrainian fighter Serhiy Radchenko at the SunBet Arena Times Square in Menlyn Pretoria on Thursday night. This will be the first time the South African fighter goes in defence of his title after his interim title earned him the vacant main title, with Lawrance Okolie moving on to the heavyweight division last October. Lerena, no stranger to boxing's biggest stages, was last seen in action just over a year ago in a high-profile 10-round bout against Australia's Justis Huni for the vacant WBO Global Heavyweight title. Despite a valiant effort, the South African fell short via unanimous decision at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Now, with the sting of that defeat behind him, Lerena returns home with his sights firmly set on reclaiming momentum and defending his WBC bridgerweight title. South African boxing has endured a difficult quiet spell in recent years, but Thursday's card offers a much-needed spark. The event boasts a star-studded line-up, with IBO welterweight champion Tulani Mbenge set to co-main event against Namibia's Emmanuel Mungandjela. Meanwhile, veteran cruiserweight Thabiso Mchunu steps back into the ring with hopes of reigniting his own international ambitions in a clash against DRC's Amador Kalonji. With local talent in the spotlight and championship gold on the line, Lerena believes this event could mark the beginning of a resurgence for South African boxing, with some of the country's finest talents getting their deserved exposure. 'Boxing is an easy sport to start,' Lerena told Independent Media ahead of his title defence. 'It was always considered a poor man's sport because you don't need to buy go-karts, you don't need to buy fuel, you don't need to buy expensive boots... 'You just need a pair of gloves and the gym to hit the bag; it doesn't take a lot. 'But don't get me wrong; it takes a lot to become a star. 'But it doesn't take a lot to start, so we have a lot of fighters that come from disadvantaged backgrounds, and they want to start boxing.' Lerena continued to express his support for Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie, saying his impact has come at the right time for boxing in South Africa. 'It's about creating opportunities for people, and that is the key and what I think Gayton McKenzie is trying to do: create a platform. 'There are enough people doing boxing, but just not enough platforms. 'There have been a lot of youngsters, but they just never had the platforms, so hopefully the changes he is making are creating a lot of opportunities.' The well-travelled fighter is widely regarded as the current flag-bearer of South African boxing.
