SA boxers Lerena, Mchunu, Mbenge declare war for international bouts

While promises are often easily made, keeping them can be a daunting task, especially in boxing where even well-thought-out plans can crumble under the pressure of unforeseen circumstances.

That is why legendary Mike Tyson, who was known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behaviour inside and outside the ring, told a reporter when asked if he was worried about Evander Holyfield: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

Tyson lost his WBA heavyweight title to Holyfield by an 11th-round stoppage on November 9 1996.

Verbal barbs were exchanged by South Africans Kevin Lerena, Thabiso Mchunu and Thulani Mbenge and their foreign opponents — Ukrainian Serhiy Radchenko, Congolese Amador Kalonji and Namibian Emmanuel Mungadjela — in a pre-tournament press conference at Time Square Casino's Sunbet Arena in Pretoria on Monday.

That is the venue for their fights that will be staged by Legacy Boxing Promotion (LBP) on Thursday night.

The briefing on Monday included medical examinations. The fighters, though, also used it to verbally tear into each other.

Promoter Dewald Mostert was smiling from ear to ear because the fighters sold his international tournament — his first since acquiring a boxing promoter's licence with Boxing SA.

Lerena will headline the card in the first defence of his WBC bridgerweight belt against silver champion Radchenko, while Mchunu will look into getting back into winning ways after three consecutive losses. The SA cruiserweight champ will take on Kalonji over eight rounds.

Mbenge, the two-time IBO welterweight holder, will be up against Mungadjela but in a non-title fight over 10 rounds.

Mchunu was the first to fire his salvo. While he did not say much, it was certainly war talk. “We are ready to go to war; we've been all over the world; I can adjust to any situation; everything went well in the camp.”

Mbenge was spitting fire too: “Say you are going to bring war; you've said it in the newspapers. He [Mungadjela] told Sowetan he was bringing war; I hope he's ready for war.

“I've done my homework on him; we don't worry a lot about opponents. We focus on what we do with the coach [Sean Smith] — he has a plan in place. I am ready, it's going to be explosive on May 1.”

Lerena started like a car that needed a push-start because its battery is flat but gradually also got into fighting mode and then there was no stopping him.

“I am in great shape, I feel good and I am feeling healthy,” he said.

“Serhiy was on social media calling for the fight and I respect that; he's a fighting man. This fight could have taken place in Ukraine, but it is taking place here.”

Slowly the animal in Lerena emerged. “I am a different beast, I am a different animal and you are going to see on Thursday night. I have fought at the highest level with the biggest men.”

One of those is Daniel Dubois for the WBA heavyweight belt in front of 90,000 fans at Tottenham Stadium in England on December 3 2022, where the former IBO cruiserweight undefeated holder — whose career is guided by former heavyweight professional fighter, Peter “The Sniper” Smith — dropped the big Englishman three times in the first round before being dropped in the third.

“I respect Serhiy because the silver champ had to prepare very hard to beat Radchenko, I will too,” said Lerena, who said he was honoured to be fighting at home in front of “Lerena Army”.

His last fight was in Saudi Arabia where he lost to Justis Huni on points over 10 rounds for the WBO Global heavyweight title on March 8 last year.

That was Lerena's second defeat in the heavyweight class. He had one loss in the cruiserweight division, where he chalked up 26 wins with 12 short-route victories.

Lerena won the WBC bridgerweight interim title on November 23 last year. He was named mandatory challenger to fully fledged champ Lawrence Okolie but the latter moved up to the heavyweight division and the bridgerweight belt became vacant. The WBC upgraded Lerena's status in October last year, making him the first African to hold that belt.

The bridgerweight class is between the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions to accommodate small heavyweight boxers.

Left-handed Lerena has 30 wins in 33 fights while Radchenko has 11 wins, five of which were KOs, in 18 fights.

Speaking through an interpreter, Radchenko said: “It's good to be here in South Africa. We are waiting for the fight; celebration is coming.”

More fights are on the bell and the action will begin at 7pm.

SowetanLIVE