For years, Charlton Malajika has trained in the shadow of his older brother, Ricardo Malajika, the two-weight IBO champion. Their sparring sessions are fierce – onlookers describe them as “wild and amazing to see.” But now, Charlton is done being just Ricardo’s younger brother. He’s ready to be his own man, his own fighter, his own champion.
On July 5, he gets his chance to prove it, stepping into the ring against RV Deniega of the Philippines for the IBO Youth title, the first major milestone in his professional career.
Fast hands. Hard punches. A new era. Charlton Malajika isn’t chasing Ricardo’s legacy. He’s building his own.
Boxing runs deep in the 24-year-old’s veins. He honed his skills as an eight-time SA amateur champion, racking up over 60 fights before turning professional. But the transition wasn’t easy. He openly admits his biggest mistake was carrying an amateur mindset into the pro ranks.
“Amateur boxing is only three rounds – you go all out. In the pros, it’s a slower pace, and you need to think, pick your moments,” he reflects. That lesson, learned the hard way, has transformed him into a more calculated and dangerous fighter.
Malajika’s evolution has been shaped by Ricardo, a formidable champion and his fiercest training partner. Their sparring sessions are legendary. Onlookers marvel at the sheer intensity.
But while Ricardo has already conquered two divisions, Charlton isn’t focused on comparisons.
“The numbers don’t lie; Ricardo has won championships. But I don’t want to compare myself to him. To be a great leader, you must be a great follower,” he says, a clear nod to the respect he holds for his brother’s journey.
Despite his rising profile, Malajika knows South African boxers often get overlooked. He and Ricardo want to change that perception, to prove that SA fighters deserve global recognition.
“People look down on SA boxers, but together with Ricardo, I want to show the world what we can do.”
His influences extend beyond home turf. He admires Canelo Alvarez and Gervonta “Tank” Davis, whom he calls the “Mike Tyson of this generation.”
Malajika packs serious power but knows it can be a double-edged sword when he gets into a firefight.
“I do enjoy a war, but it’s not a good thing. You’ve got to hit and not get hit,” he says, recognising the importance of smart defence.
And if there’s one thing he’s certain of when he steps into the ring on July 5, his opponent will respect him by the time it’s over.
With the unwavering support of his father Alex, a self-employed carpenter who fled the civil war in Mozambique in 1983, and girlfriend, with whom he lives in Regents Park, Malajika keeps his mindset simple: “I take it one day at a time. I’m heading somewhere big, I gotta push.”
Respected boxing figure Brian Mitchell, the former multiple-time world champion and Malajika’s manager, sees something special in Charlton.
“Charlton has an incredible amateur pedigree. Will he look as good as Ricardo? Hard to say, but he has everything needed to be great. I see him winning the IBO Youth title, and ultimately, you could see two Malajikas bossing boxing in this country.”
Charlton “Baby Pain” Malajika is on a mission: to write his own chapter in South African boxing history.
July 5 may just be the beginning.
