Kevin Lerena makes the first defense of his WBC bridgerweight title on home turf after plans to fight in Ukraine fell through. The 32-year-old Lerena (30-3, 14 KOs) had originally been set to meet Serhiy Radchenko (11-7, 5 KOs) on Ukrainian soil in February, but the rescheduled bout will now take place in Lerena’s native South Africa on May 1. This 224-pound division sits between cruiserweight and heavyweight, and has yet to gain official recognition from the IBF or WBO.
Lerena captured the interim version of the WBC bridgerweight belt in November 2023 by outpointing Senad Gashi, then was upgraded to full champion in October 2024 when Lawrence Okolie vacated to compete at heavyweight. He spent 2023 establishing himself at bridgerweight, a decision that followed a brief run at heavyweight, which produced notable wins over Mariusz Wach and Bogdan Dinu before close losses to Daniel Dubois and Justis Huni. Lerena’s willingness to compete at multiple weight classes reflects a broader trend of cruiserweights moving up in search of bigger-name opponents - and bigger paydays.
Radchenko stands as the WBC’s fifth-ranked contender. The 37-year-old Ukrainian had a rocky stretch from 2018 to 2020, going 1-7 during that time and falling to recognizable figures like Krzysztof Glowacki, Michal Cieslak, and Artur Szpilka. Since 2021, however, he’s won four in a row against lesser-known adversaries, most recently besting Andrej Pesic by decision last August in Kiev. Now presented with a title shot, Radchenko aims to reinvent himself as a viable threat at 224 pounds.
Fight card:
▪️Kevin Lerena vs. Serhiy Radchenko, 12 rounds, heavyweight
▪️Tulani Mbenge vs. Emmanuel Mungandjela, 10 rounds, welterweight
▪️Thabiso Mchunu vs. Amador Kalonji, 8 rounds, cruiserweight
▪️Lindokuhle Khuzwayo vs. Sithembiso Maduna, 8 rounds, featherweight
▪️Chris Thompson vs. Mussa Ajibu, 8 rounds, heavyweight
▪️Tiisetso Matikinca vs. Mbulelo Gubula, 6 rounds, bantamweight
