The cheers had barely died down and Golden Gloves boss Rodney Berman was already plotting his promotion’s future moves, not least of them involving superstar Ricardo Malajika.
The IBO super flyweight champion was in imperious form at Emperors Palace at the weekend, knocking out Jackson Chauke to lift the IBO flyweight belt.
There are other challengers lurking, but for the moment “Magic Man” ranks as one of boxing’s hottest commodities, which is why plans are afoot to steer him to a third title, potentially featuring a famous green belt.
For the moment, though, he is poised to make a title defence on August 9. His plans, though, don’t involve indulging local challengers, reasoning that they need him more than he needs them. His trajectory is well set.
Expectations are that it will be a family double in August with young Ricardo Malajika being readied for an IBO Youth title shot, following Kevin Lerena and Tommy Oosthuizen, who both took this route to higher honours.
“Baby Pain” was sensational on Sunday, demonstrating the depth of talent in South African boxing.
Indeed, Berman remarked that he was “just dynamite” and was moved to add that his current stable was as good as any Golden Gloves has had in the past 40 years.
He ran off the list of headliners, citing Shervantaigh Koopman, Roarke Knapp, Siya Kuse and Malajika snr as big names that would take some stopping. Indeed, provided he is successful in his big title tilt in May, Koopman will also be on the August fight card, making his debut defence at Emperors.
Before then, however, there are two major bouts involving Golden Gloves-aligned fighters. The first will see Azinga Fuzile, who is co-promoted by Mla Tengimfene, travel to Kazakhstan to challenge unbeaten Sultan Zaurbek for WBA Continental super featherweight honours on April 5.
Two weeks later, on April 18, Knapp will take a major step up when he challenges Bakary Samake in Paris for the WBC’s Silver belt at super welterweight (junior middleweight).
Reflecting on Sunday’s development show, which kept fans enthused from first minute to last, he said he was “blown away by the future superstars” who grabbed their moment to violent effect.
Apart from young Malajika, Berman praised Sanele “V16” Sogcwayi, who blasted out Adivaho Nemutazhela inside two rounds. From his golden tooth and beaming smile to his confident swagger, Sogcwayi looks to the manor born; a potential star in the making.
“It was like seeing a young Dingaan Thobela,” remarked the veteran promoter, who also singled out heavyweight Jean Alberts for praise.
The big man was under pressure to deliver the goods and he did just that by winning early. Proof that he trains hard came in his much improved conditioning, plus a performance of authority that suggests he may yet upset some reputations.
The plan is to keep him busy, fighting him in April and then July or August before a possible shot at the WBC Youth belt by year-end. It’s the sort of fast-tracking designed to keep Alberts’ growing legion of fans happy, but it may also sate fans’ appetite for a local heavyweight of genuine international promise.
Minimumweight star Beaven Sibanda was among the crowd on Sunday, cheering on his stablemates, and spoke eagerly about the year to come.
Berman said he, too, had a fantastic future and would make his return before long.
The start of the “Rising Titans” light heavyweight tournament was warmly received and the boxers all duly delivered as unfancied Michael Head gave Bonginkosi Nhlapo all he could handle while Tuvia Wewege, even in a narrow losing effort against Bryan Thysse, again underlined the richness in talent of SA’s young fighters.
Berman gave credit to Global Streaming partner iME, who helped underwrite Sunday’s development show, saying that more such events would both help discover and sustain younger boxing talent.
Meanwhile, Dylan Prosser and fellow Capetonian Dean Promnick feature on “Fight Island” in Cape Town next month, yet more action in what is a fast learning curve for both.
“The jury’s still out on them,” said Berman, “but for the moment they are young and exciting and good to watch.”
In running through what’s to come, Berman’s enthusiasm was evident with all manner of fighters due to star in the months to come.
The May 31 extravaganza will be headlined by Koopman’s IBO title shot against Uisma Lima, with Kuse on the undercard, plus the “Rising Titans” third-place bout (Wewege v Nhlapo) and the Gauteng debut of Saarah Karriem – already a popular feature of the Cape Town boxing scene – and fast-improving Tyla Promnick, who has a bit of sass and style to go with her smarts as a boxer.
Brandon Thysse will then headline a strong local card on July 3 that also includes the “Rising Titans” final showdown between his brother Bryan and Head, whose gritty showing against Nhlapo gives him every chance of upsetting the favourite.
On the undercard, Dean Promnick will take a serious step up in class against DonJuan van Heerden, a fight that will doubtless have domestic fans arguing as to the outcome.
Alberts, a heavyweight on the rise, will enjoy another outing at the casino venue, as will Sibanda, whose fast hands and relentless workrate make him such a popular fighter among fans.
