By Kevin Rademeyer.
Photo Credit: Aquilla Boxing Promotions.
Live from Sandton Convention Centre: Kevin Lerena’s commanding return to cruiserweight headlined a memorable night at the sold out Sandton Convention Centre.
There were knockouts, emerging talent and a fiercely contested co-main event, although the controversial ending to SD Pypers’ clash with Jarred Silverman ensured the evening would be remembered for more than its results.
The Sandton Convention Centre had waited almost a year for SD Pypers and Jarred Silverman to settle their differences. When they finally met in the ring at Knockout Chaos 3, there was no shortage of action. There was, however, an ending nobody wanted.
Their junior middleweight contest had been promoted by weeks of verbal exchanges and a rivalry that had attracted considerable attention.
Silverman, the taller and longer man at 1.80m with a 190cm reach, had the physical advantages over the 1.70m Pypers. He also had considerably more professional experience, with 18 fights compared with Pypers’ four, all of which the younger boxer had won by knockout.
Silverman wasted little time asserting himself. Within 30 seconds, a right hook put Pypers down. The exchanges were aggressive from the outset, both men looking for the decisive shot, while Silverman added a theatrical edge, even sticking out his tongue at his opponent.
Pypers recovered and produced a better second round, appearing to regain his composure. But with just over a minute remaining in the third, Silverman dropped him again.
What followed changed the atmosphere inside the venue.
As Pypers was on his knees, Silverman landed another punch to his head. The referee deducted a point and checked on Pypers, who asked whether he could have time to recover. The referee then stopped the contest, a decision that sparked anger around the ring and left the crowd demanding an explanation.
The central issue was the handling of the incident. Pypers had asked a question about taking time to recover; his camp maintained that he had not asked for the fight to be stopped.
The referee interpreted the exchange as a reason to end the contest, rather than allowing time for recovery or considering the alternative of disqualifying Silverman for the illegal blow.
The decision left a sour taste after a contest that had promised so much. Silverman had boxed well and was enjoying a measure of control, but Pypers had shown enough power to suggest the fight was far from settled. Silverman received the R20,000 knockout bonus, but the result did little to silence the calls for a rematch.
The rivalry had been combustible long before the first bell. Silverman had said he hoped Pypers would actually make it into the ring. Pypers had replied that he hoped Silverman would make it out. After the fight, the unanswered questions were more significant than either man’s pre-fight threats.
There was plenty else for the crowd to enjoy.
The main event provided the night’s sporting high point as Kevin Lerena returned to cruiserweight against Scott Forrest for the vacant WBC International title. Lerena, a former world champion, dominated large portions of the 10-round contest, eventually winning by unanimous decision after knocking Forrest down in the ninth. The scorecards read 97-92, 97-92 and 98-91.
It was a performance built on power and patience. Forrest was repeatedly hurt but refused to surrender, forcing Lerena to remain disciplined rather than chase an early finish. The victory marked an important return for the 34-year-old, who had dropped from 107kg to make the 90.7kg cruiserweight limit.
Lerena paid tribute to Forrest afterwards, describing him as a tough competitor who had lived up to the warnings of trainer Peter Smith. “Scott is going to be tough. He brings experience from the amateurs, and he’s going to be there all night, so you need to stay tight and take your time,” Lerena recalled Smith telling him before the fight. “He’s a very tough fighter, and a very tough fighter makes very few mistakes, so we have to capitalise on his mistakes.”
Smith was delighted with the way his fighter handled the challenge. Having taken Lerena on as an 18-year-old when others doubted his prospects, he has seen the boxer develop into a world champion and compete across several weight divisions.
“The dedication and the heart and discipline he has, no trainer can ask for more,” Smith said. He also praised Forrest for making the contest difficult, adding that Lerena had shown the qualities expected of a champion.”
Smith believes the cruiserweight division offers the best opportunity for another major chapter in Lerena’s career. The boxer himself is already looking towards the world rankings, having said he is sixth in the WBC standings and intends to position himself for another title challenge.
The undercard had provided a steady build-up to the headline contests, with several fighters making emphatic statements.
Junior middleweight Bongco nicknamed “The Nuclear Bomb”, came close to securing a late stoppage against Nolawu, almost finding the knockout in the final 10 seconds. He had to settle for a unanimous points decision.
In the junior lightweight contest, “Slow Poison” Mphahlele needed little time to make his mark. He dropped Mncwabe inside the first 20 seconds and secured the stoppage 80 seconds into the opening round, earning the R30,000 knockout bonus.
Zimbabwean Sinakoma, a former cruiserweight competing at catchweight, took a unanimous decision over Nhlapho in a six-round contest that was considerably closer than the scorecards suggested.
Jason Medi delivered one of the evening’s most emphatic finishes against Douglas Ntounta at super middleweight. Medi, who came into the contest with 12 wins from 14 fights, was too quick and powerful for his opponent. After controlling the contest, he finished Ntounta with a left hook following a series of body shots, putting him out inside the first 50 seconds of the fifth round and collecting the R10,000 knockout bonus.
Nineteen-year-old Leo Careri also strengthened his reputation as one to watch. Still unbeaten since making his professional debut in 2025, he overwhelmed 36-year-old Jackson Masamba with punishing body shots. Masamba was brought to his knees and his corner threw in the towel halfway through the second round. Careri collected the R25,000 bonus.
For Aquilla Boxing Promotions, the card brought together established names, emerging professionals and fighters with something to prove. Lerena has spoken of the importance of creating opportunities for local boxers, and the undercard offered several examples of the talent that can benefit from a properly staged platform.
The event also attracted prominent support, with former UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis among those in attendance, alongside footballer Keagan Johannes, who was experiencing his first fight as part of the Lerena Army.
There were compelling performances, spectacular finishes and a main event that gave Lerena a promising new beginning. But the Pypers versus Silverman controversy will not disappear simply because the other fights delivered.
Silverman won the official result. Pypers was denied the chance to continue after a disputed intervention. A rematch would give both men the opportunity to settle the argument in the ring, where it should have been settled in the first place. Knockout Chaos 3 delivered on its promise of action. One fight, though, still needs its proper conclusion.