Ayanda Zamantungwa Khumalo, the chairperson of the board of Boxing South Africa (BSA), has congratulated Ricardo ‘Magic Man’ Malajika after he became the new World Boxing Council (WBC) junior-bantamweight champion following his victory over Japanese opponent, Tomoya Tsuboi.
The 28-year-old Malajika, who’s going to land at the OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park at 08h30 on Tuesday morning, dug deep before he defeated Tsuboi via a split decision at the Toyota Arena in Koto-Ku, Tokyo, Japan on Sunday. The win took Malajika’s record to 18 victories with 12 knockouts and two defeats while Tsuboi lost for the first time in four fights.
“On behalf of Boxing South Africa, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Ricardo ‘Magic Man’ Malajika. Boxing SouthAfrica congratulates Malajika, his trainer Manny Fernandes, manager Brian Mitchell and the entire team on this significant achievement and wishes the new WBC champion contitnued success,” Khumalo said.
“Claiming the WBC title in Tokyo against home favourite Tomoya Tsuboi is a tremendous achievement and Ricardo has now etched his name in South African boxing history as the sixth South African to claim the prestigious WBC green and gold belt. We are immensely proud of you and your team.”
Malajika was the second South African boxer to win a WBC title in a month’s time after Bernice Ferreira won the female junior-lightweight crown following a stoppage an eighth round stoppage win over French-borm Canadian boxer, Caroline Veyre, in August.
Currently, Malajika is the third South African boxer, who holds a WBC title. His stablemate, Siyakhola Kuse, is the reigning WBC minimumweight champion after he dethroned Melvin Jerusalem from the Philippines in May.
