Ricardo ‘Magic Man’ Malajika is inching closer to realising his dream of fighting for the World Boxing Council (WBC) junior-bantamweight title, which is held by American boxer Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez.
Malajika registered a unanimous points victory over Vince Paras from the Philippines in an International Boxing Organisation (IBO) junior-bantamweight title defence at the Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, on Saturday evening.
All three judges nodded in agreement saying that Malajika had done enough to make his fourth successful title defence. John Shipanuka from Lusaka in Zambia had Malajika winning by 117-110, Zimbabwean judge Patrick Mukondiwa scored the fight 115-112 and East Londoner Allen Matakane’ s scorecard read 116-111.
“I warned Ricardo that this guy came to fight and is not number four in the world for nothing. We knew we were up for a tough fight. We started outboxing him when we started controlling the centre of the ring. We had to hit him with authority,” Malajika’s trainer Manny Fernandes said.
Currently, the 27-year-old Malajika, who stopped his last three opponents – Jayson Mama from the Philippines, Jackson Chauke and Yanga Sigqibo – before meeting Paras is rated third by the WBC.
