A historic night for South African boxing is on the horizon as Kevin "2 Guns" Lerena prepares to defend his WBC Bridgerweight World Title against Ukraine’s Serhiy Radchenko at The Reckoning on May 1 at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa.

Presented by SunBet in partnership with Legacy Boxing Promotions, The Reckoning isn’t just a fight card — it’s a full-blown statement. For the first time ever, a WBC world title will be defended on South African soil, and fans can expect an electric night loaded with firepower.

The headline bout pits Lerena, the pride of South Africa with a 30-3 record (14 KOs), against Radchenko, the tough WBC Silver Champion from Ukraine. Originally set for Ukraine earlier this year, the fight was moved after geopolitical tensions, giving Lerena a chance to make history in front of his home fans. "It’s an absolute honor," said Lerena. "I’m proudly South African, and to defend a WBC title here, in front of the Lerena Army, is a dream come true. We’re looking to make history and create a legacy."

Lerena’s journey has been meteoric — from dominating the cruiserweight division with seven successful world title defenses to challenging heavyweight Daniel Dubois and now ruling the newly created bridgerweight class. His hunger for greatness has only grown. "This is just business for me, nothing personal," Lerena said. "I’m a different beast, a different man, and a different animal. People have been messing with the bread for my children. I’ve been starved of fighting. No one is taking food off my table."

Radchenko, who spent nearly a week traveling from Poland to South Africa for this fight, is more than ready to seize his shot. "I have followed Lerena for a long time. I respect him a lot for accepting this challenge," said Radchenko. "It will be my first time as world champion. It’s time to deliver it to me."

Despite the mutual respect, Lerena isn’t taking any chances."I wake up thinking of Radchenko. I go to bed thinking of Radchenko. Everything else means nothing right now," he said. "You’re going to see a starved man in the ring — a well-oiled machine who’s hungry."

Legacy Boxing’s Dewald Mostert emphasized the magnitude of the night. "It’s an honor to host this event and have Radchenko here. Diversity has helped us become a great host. And it’s the first time the WBC title will be defended on home soil."

But The Reckoning is more than just one fight. The undercard is packed with heavy hitters including:

Thulani "Evolution" Mbenge vs. Emmanuel Mungandjela
Thabiso "The Rock" Mchunu vs. Amandor Kalonji
Chris "The Wolf" Thompson vs. Mussa Ajibu
Lindo Khuzwayo vs. Sthembiso Maduna
Tietsetso Matikinca vs. Mbulelo Gubula

Boxing South Africa has hailed the event as a major step forward for the sport locally, but the energy of The Reckoning will be felt worldwide. As Lerena himself says, "If you truly want to be a champion, you have to work like an underdog every single day. Everyone works hard at the top — but what are you doing that’s extra? What’s your story? What do you believe in?"

On May 1, Kevin Lerena isn’t just fighting for a title — he’s fighting for history, for legacy, and for the pride of a nation. You won’t want to miss it.
[Submitted by Kevin Rademeyer]