SA star Kevin Lerena set for historic WBC bridgerweight title defence against Serhiy Radchenko

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.

Reflecting on the time he spent with British heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Lerena expressed gratitude for the bond they’ve developed – one that extends beyond the ropes.

“We are both champions in our respective weights. I was with him to spar, and also give him help and he was also in there to give me some help. The learning from that was sparring against a bigger man.

“We are both champions in our own right and we taught one another, and there were a lot of benefits for each of us.

“It was a good connection and relationship. We are good friends, and that was what I took out the most, the relationship that we have.”