Pretoria to make boxing history on Labour Day
Boxing fans in Pretoria can prepare themselves for a historic event when one of the biggest and most prominent boxing tournaments in many years will be presented at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria on Labour Day.
The World Boxing Council (WBC) is considered one of the “big three” among boxing governing bodies, but although South Africa has produced two champions under the association’s banner in the past, a WBA title fight has never taken place in this country. *
This statistic is set to change on Labour Day, 1 May this year, when a historic boxing tournament, called “The Reckoning”, will be presented by the newly formed Legacy Boxing Promotions in Pretoria. Boxing fans who react quickly will be able to be part of the spectators who can watch the action at the SunBet Arena in Menlyn, Pretoria on this day. Tickets available at Ticketpro.
On May 1, South Africa’s current WBC bridgerweight champion, Kevin Lerena, will become the first local boxer to defend a WBC title on home soil. He will take on 37-year-old Serhiy Radchenko of Ukraine in a title fight over 12 rounds.
Radchenko, who is currently Ukraine’s cruiserweight champion, has – like Lerena – fought in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions in his professional career spanning more than 20 years.
The 32-year-old Lerena is also a former IBO World cruiserweight and IBO Inter-Continental heavyweight champion.
Photo: Koos Venter
In the co-main event of the tournament, South Africa’s newest world champion, Tulani Mbenge, will face Namibia’s welterweight champion, Emmanuel Mungandjela, in a 10-round welterweight bout. However, according to indications, Mbenge’s IBO welterweight title will not be on the line.
Thanks to the fact that May 1st is a public holiday, this historic tournament will treat boxing fans properly with 12 fights, which will be evenly distributed on a day card (from 11:00am) and a main card, which will start at 19:00 in the evening.
The remaining four fights on the main card include a cruiserweight fight between experienced South African champion, Thabiso Mchunu, and Amandor Kalonji of the DRC; a heavyweight fight between former South African champion, Chris Thompson and Mussa Ajibu of Malawi; a featherweight fight between promising Lindo Khuzwayo and Sthembiso Maduna; and a bantamweight fight between Tietsetso Matikinca and Mbulelo Gubula.
Former IBF African welterweight champion Jabulani Makhence returns to the ring after two years of inactivity on the day card of the tournament with a fight against another former African champion, Antonio Maiala of Angloa.
Two familiar faces in South Africa’s boxing ranks, who also both have experience as heavyweight and cruiserweight boxers, Akani Phuzi and Flo Simba, will also be in action on the day card.
Newcomers in the super middleweight division, Gary van Staden and Seth van Aswegen will both make their professional debuts, while the card will be completed with fights between Ayabonga Sonjica and Sanele Magwaza (bantamweight); another debutant, Leo Careeri, and Niclas Kasonga Nzengu (super middleweight); as well as two promising welterweight boxers, JP Kaganane and Nasiphi Vellem.
* Thulani “Sugar Boy” Malinga held the WBC super-middleweight title twice between 1996 and 1998, but he fought all his fights as defending champion in Britain.
* Although Dingaan Thobela won the WBC super-middleweight title in 2000 at Carnival City in Brakpan against Briton Glenn Catley, he then had to defend it in Canada against Dave Hilton, where he relinquished the title.
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