Charlton Malajika was the star turn at Sunday afternoon’s Golden Gloves development show, producing a one-punch knockout for the ages.
Earlier in the week, his brother Ricardo – now a double IBO champion – had suggested that his younger sibling was an even better boxer than him. The jury is still out on that one, but for now two classy Malaika’s spells trouble for anyone getting in their way.
Gcina Makgoba entered the Emperors Palace ring with a decent 9-1-1 record, but the early signs weren’t encouraging as Malajika begun taking him apart late in the first round. So technically correct, Malajika was a joy to watch as he put his punches together with celebrated brother Ricardo shouting his approval from ringside.
The man known as “Baby Pain” delivered the coup de grace in the third with a punch his manager Brian Mitchell calls a “45”, effectively a blended uppercut/left hook developed by trainer Manny Fernandes. The moment the hammer landed, Makgoba was put to sleep, a savage conclusion that confirmed young Malajika as a bantamweight fast on the rise.
It was one of several fine performances on a card that exceeded expectations, among them the super middleweight clash between unbeaten Dylan Prosser and Morgan Hunter. Prosser was expected to take care of business without fuss, but Hunter refused to play ball.
He was in the Capetonian’s face from the start, a relentless challenger whose counter-punching and rough-housing were spot on. Prosser, though, was the sharper puncher earlier on, although as the fight wore on, Hunter found his range and landed several meaty left hooks and right hands.
Prosser manfully walked through them and the result was a fight that the fans loved, Prosser finally prevailing with scores of 58-56 (twice) and 58-57.
The Sogcwayi brothers had a bitter-sweet afternoon, young Sanele getting his pro career off to a sensational start by blasting out Adivaho Nemutazhela in the second round. The much-hyped former amateur star was the aggressor, his super-fast southpaw style simply too much for his opponent.
Mhlanganisi, his older brother, walked onto a brutal right uppercut against Sifiso Hlongwane in the fourth round of their junior lightweight bout.
Meanwhile, heavyweight Juan Alberts did what he does best by bludgeoning debutante Gilly Dickenson to second-round KO defeat. Dickenson had his moments, but when the 120kg Alberts started winging big shots, there was only ever going to be one winner.
OTHER RESULTS
Ariel Meez-Raci KO 1 Tsumbo Mbedzi (junior middleweight); Ndabazinhle Phiri w pts (6) Enathi Stella (junior bantamweight); Pieter Breytenbach TKO 2 Fhulufhelo Ramaliba (cruiserweight).
