“Two Guns” Vs “Kremen” on Labor Day

By James Blears

Workers of the World unite, to see a slugfest on International Labour Day, because ‘’Oh Brother,’’ there will be plenty of hammers and sickles flying between South Africa`s Kevin ‘’Two Guns’’ Lerena Vs Serhiy ‘’Kremen’’ Radchenko from Ukraine.

For Kevin 30-3, 14 KO`s aged 32, it will be the first defence of his WBC Bridgerweight Title.  He won the vacant WBC Interim title in November 2023, defeating Germany`s Senad Gashi by UD and was elevated to Absolute Champion in October 2024, after Lawrence ‘’Octapus’’ Okokie vacated the crown, to fight one division higher as heavyweight.

Serhiy aged 37 has a record of 11-7, 5 KO`s and leading up to this one he has four victories on the trot. The fight was going to be in Ukraine, but now it will be in the Sunbet Arena, Times Square, Pretoria, and the Promotion is being dubbed; ‘’The Reckoning,’’ so there`s a weight of imploring  expectation of a nation, resting on the Atlas-like shoulders and broad back of Kevin, who has said:

‘’I don`t focus too much on him. Rather, I focus on me and what I need to do.  The Squared Jungle is the most honest place. It`s my first Bridgerweight defence. I`m excited and humbled to be afforded this opportunity.’’

Southpaw South-African Kevin stands six feet one inches tall and he`s the current King of the 224 pounds division. In past eras he would have physically neatly fitted into the heavyweight division. Back in the day The Great Joe Louis was physically ideal at six feet two, weighing two hundred pounds. But not sufficiently ideal nowadays, where the Big Boys are of gigantic stature.  Kevin has fought at Cruiserweight, heavyweight and is now the Bridgerweight Champion.  He`s a seasoned campaigner, as his pro debut was in 2011.

Early notable wins were over one time WBA light heavyweight challenger Roberto Bolonti via UD at cruiser and ageing 49 year old Firat Arslan by sixth round TKO. Kevin moved up to heavyweight in 2022, with a fourth round TKO over Bogdan Dinu winning the WBA intercontinental Title and then outpointed former undisputed heavyweight challenger Mariusz Wach.

With the WBA Regular heavyweight title at stake, Kevin came within a proverbial ace and cat`s whisker of a monumental shock victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on December 3^rd 2022,  dropping Daniel Dubois three times in round one, with mighty left hooks to the head. All at sea, wobbling Triple D was saved by the bell, regrouped and went on the offensive, to drop Kevin in round three with a poleaxing straight right to the head and then again, this time with a blistering right uppercut. Size and weight were a factor on the night. While Kevin weighed two hundred and thirty- one pounds, Daniel was almost ten pounds heavier and looked enormous by comparison.   Kevin got up both times, but Referee Howard Foster had seen enough and he stepped in to stop it.

Kevin`s most recent fight was in March 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, when he took on Justis Huni for the vacant WBO Global heavyweight title, losing an entertaining ten rounds UD.  He`s far more suited to the Bridgerweight division, which was specifically created for those fighters, who were previously the svelte heavyweights, and structurally so much smaller and lighter than today`s towering giants.

The opponent for Kevin`s first WBC Bridgerweight defence is Serhiy Radchenko 11-7, 5 KO`s aged thirty- seven from Kremenchug, Ukraine, hence his nickname of Kremen.  Also six feet one inches tall, He`s won his most recent four bouts.  In the one leading up to this challenge, Serhiy defeated Serbia`s Andrej to win the WBC Bridgerweight Silver title on August 3^rd last year.

With Open Scoring, Serhiy heard he was behind on the scorecards after four rounds. So, he mustered a big effort to win a UD. Hearing is believing!

Six of the seven losses on his record were on points to high caliber opponents including: Krzysztof Glowacki, Michal Cieslak, Adam Balski and Artur Szpilka. He`s only ever been stopped once, retiring from the fray in round four against Kamshybek Kunkabayev.

Before all of this he lost a competitive UD in a five rounds light heavyweight bout to Dmtry Bivol in 2013 In the World Series of Boxing in St Petersburg. Serhiy has also accumulated a lot of ringcraft and knowledge as a sparring partner to Wladimir Klitschko.

Outside ring hours Serhiy is a valued member of WBC Cares, helping orphans, hospitals and clinics plus his beleaguered beloved homeland. With the business at hand, as a road warrior and due to his advancing age, this is his significant and rare opportunity to seize, to transform and furnish Silver into the burnish of Green Gold.

Kevin has fought fifteen more fights than Serhiy. Kevin`s pro debut was in 2011, which is two years and eleven months before that of Serhiy. Kevin has fought 116 more rounds than Serhiy. Kevin`s pro tally is 229 rounds to Serhiy`s 113.

Two of Kevin`s three defeats came when he ventured up to heavyweight…a bridge too far? His only defeat apart from that was on points at cruiserweight to Johnny Muller way back on November 18^th 2014, just one fight after winning the WBC Youth Silver Cruiserweight title against Gogita Gorgiladze on September 29^th of that same year.

Kevin acknowledges Serhiy is coming to fight and to fight hard.  Yet, he`s motivated to the champion defending his laurels in his homeland of South Africa and is determined to come out blazing on home turf.

Serhiy`s career is shorter, but the quality of his opposition has been steller and rarefied.  He`s seen it all before and must now see his path to outboxing a heavier hitter. The power puncher Vs the boxer. Both must go for broke and in so doing … burn their bridges.