Emva kokunqumamisa zonke iimbethi-manqindi kwimilo yakhe emithathu yokugqibela, uRicardo ‘Magic Man’ Malajika uthi nguye yedwa imbethi-manqindi ephambili eMzantsi Afrika kudidi lwejunior-bantamweight.
UMalajika uyikhusele ngempumelelo isihlandlo sesithathu intshinga yakhe ye-International Boxing Organisation (IBO) kudidi lwejunior-bantamweight ngethuba enqumamisa uJayson Mama wasePhilippines kumjikelo wesihlanu e-Emperors Palace, eKempton Park, Ekurhuleni, ngokuhlwa kwangoMgqibelo.
“Amanani awaxoki. Hamba uyokujonga kumarekhodi, azakukuxelela ukuba ndim umpondo zihlanjiwe. Apha eMzantsi Afrika ayikho imbethi-manqindi endogqithayo kudidi lwejunior-bantamweight,” utshilo uMalajika.
Ephefumla ngomlo onokwenzeka phakathi kwakhe nowayeyinjinga yeWorld Boxing Organisation (WBO) naseMzantsi Afrika uPhumelela Cafu, uMalajika uthethe wathi: “Akekho umntu oyaziyo ukuba kungenzeka ntoni na ngomso. Kungenzeka ukuba singalwa mna naye.”
UMalajika uqhube kakuhle kakhulu emva kokubethwa kwakhe nguSikho Nqothole ngo-Epreli 2022. Uyiphumelele yosibhozo imilo yakhe emva koko, kuquka nokuphumelela iintshinga ze-IBO kudidi lwempukane nolwejunior-bantamweight.
Ephefumla emva kwempumelelo kaMalajika kumlo noMama, umqeqeshi uManny Fernandes uthethe wathi: “Zontathu iimbethi-manqindi zokugqibela alwe nazo bezingazange zanqunyanyiswa ngaphambi kokulwa noRicardo. Izinto zimhambela kakuhle uRicardo kuba ndim owenza yonke into xa ndimqeqesha. URicardo uya ebamhle ngakumbi nangakumbi.” – Monwabisi Jimlongo
