As the clock is ticking towards Sunday when Ricardo ‘Magic Man’ Malajika will face Japanese opponent, Tomoya Tsuboi, a homely environment has been created in Tokyo, Japan, just a few days before the two gladiators test each other’s fistic skills.
Malajika clashes with Tsuboi in a vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) junior-bantamweight title contest at the Tokyo Arena, Koto-Ku, at 11am on Sunday, South African time.
The WBC title hopeful’s promoters, Nivi Grogor and Rodney Berman from Golden Gloves, landed in Tokyo on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. Henico Schalenkamp, who is Malajika’s sponsor, has also arrived in the Japanese capital.
Malajika landed in Tokyo together with his younger brother, Charlton, and trainer, Manny Fernandes, last week. His manager, Brian Mitchell, and his wife Sharleen Mitchell, who’s the boxer’s co-manager, are already in Tokyo.
“Ricardo feels like he is home, especially with the presence of his promoters, managers and sponsors,” Mitchell said.
“He’s fantastic, he’s more than ready. We are gonna bring the WBC title back home in South Africa. It’s the last few days before the fight. He only has three more sleeps before the big fight. He has acclimatised well and he knows what this fight means.”
According to Mitchell, Malajika and his adversary are going to face each other for the first time during a press conference scheduled for 12 noon, Japanese time, on Friday.
Meanwhile, the 28-year-old Malajika is on a nine-fight winning streak, having last lost when he was beaten by Sikho ‘Sequence’ Nqothole in April 2022.
His winning streak includes annexing the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) junior-bantamweight and flyweight titles. And he has successfully defended his IBO junior-bantamweight title four times. – Monwabisi Jimlongo
