Lerena Delivers on His Promise with swift TKO Stuns
Lerena Delivers on His Promise in Dominant Title Defense
Photo: Dirk Heyns
On Labour Day at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, more than 5 000 passionate boxing fans witnessed South Africa’s WBC bridgerweight champion Kevin Lerena “put his money where his mouth is” against Ukrainian contender Serhiy Radchenko, successfully defending his title in emphatic fashion.
Kevin Lerena hits Serhiy Radchenko with one of his dangerous straight lefts during their WBC bridgerweight title fight on Labour Day at the SunBet Arena at Time Square, Pretoria.
Following his confident declarations at Wednesday’s weigh-in—when he dubbed himself a “different beast”—Lerena lived up to his words by orchestrating a masterful performance. Despite a 14-month layoff, he looked sharper and more powerful than ever, landing a thunderous left hook in the second round that sent Radchenko to the canvas. Although the Ukrainian rose and beat the count, he remained visibly stunned.
Lerena maintained the pressure, and early in the third round unleashed another devastating left hand, prompting Radchenko’s corner to throw in the towel. The referee stopped the contest, awarding Lerena a third-round TKO and marking his first successful defence of the WBC bridgerweight crown.
From the opening bell, both fighters showed determination, but it was Lerena’s superior strength, precision, and ring intelligence that made the difference. His performance not only thrilled the Pretoria crowd but also reaffirmed his status as one of the division’s elite.
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