It has been confirmed that Ricardo Malajika will defend his International Boxing Organisation (IBO) junior-bantamweight title in three month’s time, following his fifth round stoppage win over Jayson Mama from the Philippines earlier this month.
Even though the name of Malajika’s next opponent is yet to be revealed, the fight has been set for Saturday, 29 November, at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni.
Having a record of 16 wins with 12 knockouts and two losses, Malajika has successfully defend his IBO title three times since winning it during a fight against Argentine boxer Kevin Luis Munoz in September 2023. He defended his title against Mama, East Londoner Yanga Sigqibo and Marcel Braithwaite from the United Kingdom.
Malajika, a former IBO flyweight champion, is on a roll having won his last eight fights. These wins include three successive stoppage victories over Mama, Jackson Chauke and Yanga Sigqibo.
The 26-year-old Malajika is now rated seventh by the World Boxing Council (WBC) and is eighth in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) ratings.
Meanwhile, Malajika will be fighting in the same tournament where Golden Gloves will have a four-man survivor junior-middleweight event.
Roarke Knapp will come up against Kagiso Bagwasi from Botswana with former South African junior-middleweight titlist Shervantaigh Koopman facing current national champion Brandon Thysse.
And boxers who emerge victorious from these two bouts will roll on to next year’s event where they will share a cool R1,2 million.
