After becoming the first boxer to stop former South African flyweight champion Jackson ‘M3’ Chauke, two-weight division world titlist Ricardo ‘Magic Man’ Malajika will make a ring return on Women’s Day.
Malajika, an International Boxing Organisation (IBO) flyweight and junior-bantamweight champion, is set to make a title defence on Saturday, 9 August.
The 26-year-old Malajika took less than six minutes to stop Chauke, who prior to meeting him had not lost in a flyweight bout since April 2013. As a result of the win, Malajika claimed the IBO flyweight title at the Emperor’s Palace in Kempton Park last Saturday.
“We are gonna defend the junior-bantamweight one. What we discussed with Ricardo is that if there’s an opportunity for a big pay day at flyweight, we will come down,” Malajika’s trainer Manny Fernandes said.
Fernandes has added that whether Malajika vacates the IBO flyweight title or not will depend on his manager Brian Mitchell and Golden Gloves managing director Rodney Berman.
Meanwhile, Malajika, who is on a seven-fight winning streak, has not been defeated since his loss to Sikho Nqothole at Sun City, Rustenburg, in April 2022.
Malajika has registered 15 victories with 11 stoppages and two defeats since making his professional debut with a win over Nkululeko Mnisi at the Emperor’s Palace in October 2018. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
