Manny Fernandes has guided boxers to many battles in the past and it is then no wonder that Ricardo Malajika’s upcoming fight against Japanese opponent, Tomoya Tsuboi, is very important to the Johannesburg-based boxing trainer.
The clash is important because a win will make Fernandes only the first South African trainer to lead two boxers to World Boxing Council (WBC) glory in a year as Malajika faces Tsuboi in a vacant junior-bantamweight title contest in Japan on Sunday, 27 September.
Four months ago, Fernandes was in Siyakholwa Kuse’s corner when the Mdantsane-born pugilist made history by becoming the first boxer from the Eastern Cape to rule in the WBC after he captured the minimumweight title following a unanimous decision points win over Filipino opponent, Melvin Jerusalem.
“The camp has gone very well. We are excited, we are ready. We know it’s not going to be easy in Japan. Ricardo’s weight is 54,3 kilograms. We are on target, just two kilograms over the limit less than two weeks before the fight,” Fernandes said.
Fernandes added: “We are expecting a very big performance from Ricardo. We really want to win this world title. We want to bring the title to South Africa. We want to deliver a second WBC title to the Brian Mitchell Boxing Academy. It will be a first in South Africa when we win the WBC title.”
Fernandes together with Malajika and the boxer’s younger brother, Charlton, are leaving for Japan on Wednesday. Three days later, Ricardo’s manager, Brian Mitchell, and his wife Sharleen will depart for Japan. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
