They call him the “Magic Man” and on Friday evening Ricardo Malajika conjured a right hand from the heavens to destroy Yanga Sigqibo’s ambitions of winning the IBO junior-bantamweight championship.
Malajika was in devastating form in the headline fight at Emperors Palace, totally in control against a highly ranked opponent who couldn’t find a way to throw him off his game.
The champion boxed with authority, building momentum through the rounds with a highly efficient attack that had an educated right hand at its core. Few punches were wasted by Malajika whose work rate was outstanding, so too his shot placement as he gradually dismantled Sigqibo’s challenge.
Sigqibo had entered the showdown with a huge reputation and in the early rounds his skills were evident. He was fast and aggressive, but with Malajika so effective on the counter, you sensed that he would have to produce something special.
The turning point came in a frenzied sixth round when Malajika, bursting with confidence, scored a flash knockdown and went after Sigqibo. Only the challenger’s fitness and experience kept him on his feet as he withstood a fierce barrage.
Mixing up his punches to great effect, Malajika dropped the hammer again in the 10th, scoring another knockdown that was a portend of things to come.
It was the beginning of the end for the brave, outgunned Sigqibo, who had no answer to Malajika’s fury. He barely survived an early flurry, but the moment he walked into a vicious right hand thrown by the champion in the 11th, it was all over.
Barely had the count begun and Malajika was atop the turnbuckle demanding the appreciative crowd celebrate his performance. And they did, acknowledging what was surely a career best performance and the certainty that Malajika is right up there with the best fighters in the junior-bantamweight division.
THOMPSON DELIVERS IN STYLE
In the main undercard bout, Chris Thompson’s bridgerweight debut was a successful one as he dominated gritty Alexandru Jur on his way to a commanding points win over eight rounds.
Thomson, looking fit and lean at the weight, was untroubled as he controlled the action with his long, educated southpaw jab.
Jur, who was keen, had few answers beyond storming Thompson in a bid to smother his movement. But Thompson, a crowd favourite, was a willing participant who was happy boxing both inside and outside. The Romanian’s constant holding was a shrewd tactic to slow Thompson down, but he had little hope when Thompson boxed at range.
The South African accumulated points at will and seemed happy to go through the gears without pressing too hard for the knockout.
Thompson, formerly a heavyweight, said he felt good at the new weight and warned the top 10 that he was on his way.
They’ve been put on warning.
VAN HEERDEN DERAILED BY HARD-WORKING NTULI
Don-Juan van Heerden had hoped to make a good impression in his debut for Golden Gloves.
Instead, his plans went up in smoke, so too his looming challenge for the SA title, when he dropped a lacklustre decision to Snamiso Ntuli in a catchweight eight-rounder.
There was no place to hide for Van Heerden whose lack of fundamentals were exposed early on. Failing to hurt Ntuli with his left hand, he had few ideas beyond frequent bursts delivered from out of range. His timing was off and he just couldn’t make a dent in Ntuli who commendably delivered an assured display rooted in doing the basics well.
Van Heerden tried a little too hard at times, but when he suffered a flash knockdown halfway through the action, the reality of the challenge must have dawned on him. Ntuli was no fall guy.
The KZN fighter made it an uncomfortable night for Van Heerden and he never stopped pressing on his way to a deserved win (78-73, 77-74, 78-71).
‘THE GENTLEMAN’ TURNS NASTY
Juan Alberts is nicknamed “The Gentleman” but there was nothing gentlemanly in the way he dismantled the challenge of Mpendulo Ranapo in his professional debut at heavyweight.
A truly big man at 130kg, the West Rander took his time before unloading with a single right hand in the first round that buzzed Ranapo, leaving him in no condition to continue.
Ranapo, also on debut, had tried to keep things interesting boxing on the outside, something Alberts seemed happy enough with as he found an early rhythm. But the sheer size of Alberts, a protégé of Ryno Liebenberg, suggested there would be only winner and so it proved as Alberts unloaded, his power clearly evident.
Ranapo struggled to his feet, but was wisely counted out before Alberts could inflict more damage.
UNDERCARD ACTION
Keanu Koopman and Lancelot Moyo started like a house on fire in their welterweight bout and that’s how it continued as they produced a fast-paced, entertaining contest that never let up.
There was lots of missing and speculative punching, but the effort was full-bore as they tore into one another.
Koopman ultimately won the decision over six rounds.
In the show opener, middleweight Dean Promnick preserved his unbeaten record, producing his third straight stoppage, against Thando Mali, with a second round knockout.
