With his fight against Japanese three-fight novice, Tomoya Tsuboi, scheduled for later this month, a date has been set for Ricardo ‘Magic Man’ Malajika’s departure for Japan.
Malajika, who leaves South Africa for Japan on Wednesday, 16 September, collides with Tsuboi in a vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) junior-bantamweight title fight at the Toyota Arena in Koto-Ku, Tokyo, on Sunday, 27 September.
Trained by Manny Fernandes at the Brian Mitchell Boxing Academy in Edenvale, Malajika is the reigning International Boxing Organisation (IBO) junior-bantamweight champion. And he’s also a former IBO flyweight titlist.
“Ricardo, his brother Charlton and trainer Manny leave on the 16th. Myself and my wife Sharleen, who is a co-manager, leave on the 19th. I will be working as a trainer with Manny in the corner,” Malajika’s manager, Brian Mitchell, said.
Should Malajika prevail over Tsuboi, the 65-year-old Mitchell will have two WBC champions, which is going to be a rare feat in South African boxing. Mitchell’s other boxer, Siyakholwa Kuse, is the current WBC minimumweight champion after he outpointed Melvin Jerusalem from the Philippines in May.
Mitchell, a former World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior-lightweight champion, concluded: “It’s massive, Ricardo wants to win this WBC title. We are going there to win this title. We are going to put everything on the line.” – Monwabisi Jimlongo
