Kevin Lerena’s boxing title triumph sparks bridgerweight boom in South Africa
WBC’s new weight class breathes fresh life into SA’s boxing scene as Lerena’s victory inspires a new generation of fighters.
South Africa.- Kevin Lerena didn’t just defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) bridgerweight title on home soil, he sent a message to the boxing world that South Africa’s fighters finally have a division where they belong.
In a pulsating showdown at Pretoria’s SunBet Arena on Thursday, Lerena dominated Ukraine’s Serhiy Radchenko, retaining his WBC bridgerweight belt with ease. It was a victory that was more than personal, it symbolised a turning point for South Africa’s often overlooked crop of smaller heavyweight boxers.
The WBC’s bridgerweight division, introduced in 2020 by president Mauricio SulaimĆ”n, has carved out crucial space in boxing’s rigid weight structure. Sandwiched between the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, bridgerweight sets a maximum limit of 106kg – a godsend for fighters who found themselves outmuscled in the traditional heavyweight category.
And Lerena is not alone. South Africa’s heavyweight champion Shaun Potgieter, alongside former national titleholders Chris Thompson and Keaton Gomes, are now all ranked in the bridgerweight class. Gomes marked his arrival with a debut win in Saudi Arabia’s WBC Grand Prix Series just last month.
International level boxing
Historically, South African boxers have struggled to make waves in the heavyweight division. Beyond trailblazers like Gerrie Coetzee, who tipped the scales at 115kg and fought the likes of Mike Weaver and Frank Bruno, many local fighters found themselves physically outmatched.
Corrie Sanders, weighing just 109kg, had the speed but not the mass. Despite knocking out Wladimir Klitschko to win the WBO title in 2003, his lack of size was brutally exposed.
Others, like Pierre Coetzer and Francois Botha, were tough but ultimately undersized against boxing’s biggest bruisers. In hindsight, they may have thrived in this new weight class – had it existed.
Today, Lerena’s dominance could very well spark a renaissance. The bridgerweight division may have been made in Mexico, but its heart is now beating strong in South Africa.
