Resplendent in pink trunks, Ricardo Malajika produced the performance of his life to overwhelm Jayson Mama in five rounds to defend his IBO junior bantamweight world title for the fifth time at Emperors Palace on Saturday night.
Malajika hardly put a foot (or fist) wrong as he dominated Jayson Mama of the Philippines, inflicting a first-ever stoppage defeat on the visitor. Mama had been in with some of the best, but not even Sunny Edwards took him apart in the fashion that Malajika did.
Four times Mama was sent to the deck, Malajika’s right hand producing the most hurt. The visitor had nowhere to hide and offered little in the face of the champion’s relentless attack.
Mama was up and down like a yo-yo. If it wasn’t Malajika dumping him, he was slipping and sliding, having no answers to Malajika’s fierce pressure game.
Malajika’s jab worked a charm and created the openings for his potent right hand, which has seldom worked better. Already highly regarded internationally, Malajika’s position gets stronger after every fight. Not many fighters at the weight will be able to live with him – not on this sort of form.
‘RAZOR’ ROARKE BACK IN THE MIX
Roarke Knapp is back.
The popular junior middleweight was desperate to atone for his last fight and he did so in style at Emperors Palace, dismantling Juan Rick Carcedo in the third round.
A right hand put the Filipino down, but in truth he was beaten long before. The southpaw never looked comfortable, wilting under Knapp’s attack to the body, delivered with great speed.
Carcedo visited the canvas for the first time in the second round, but things then got messy as Knapp threw a low blow that felled his opponent and had him writhing on the canvas. The South African owned up to his error and was forced to wait it out as Carcedo took his time recovering.
Unsurprisingly, Knapp then went to the head, backing up opponent and unloading with venom. Down went Carcedo, who was in no condition, or mood, to continue.
Knapp, meanwhile, is back in the mix and hungry for more.
TUTSHENI BRINGS THE HEAT
A fire fighter by day, Simamkele Tutsheni brought the heat in her 10-round battle against Caleigh Swart, winning the IBO super bantamweight Africa championship.
Tutsheni boxed with authority, her hard, sharp jab the key to victory against gritty Swart.
She won by scores of 98-92 (twice) and 97-93 for a compelling Women’s Day triumph.
Tutsheni looked comfortable throughout and was able to upset Swart’s rhythm through her movement and shot selection.
With her hair dyed pink, Tutsheni was a contender for producing the performance of the night. Her energy and output combined to make it a frustrating night for Swart.
Boxing behind a high guard, Swart had her moments, but her volume never matched her ambition and she couldn’t quite figure out the Tutsheni riddle, even when switch hitting.
BIG ALBERTS LAYS ON THE PAIN
Who doesn’t like a heavyweight banger?
A sensational 15-punch salvo by Juan Alberts brought a dramatic second-round end to his fight against Philip Tetteh of Ghana on the undercard.
The visitor had arrived with a reputation – eight KOs in eight fights – but was on the receiving end of a pummelling that first took hold in the opening round.
Alberts found his range early, his right hand working a charm against Tetteh. The Ghanaian had come out in mean mood, but with Alberts looking loose and flicking out his jab, this proved largely ineffectual.
Not in the mood to hang around, Alberts was in a mean mood and when he unloaded in the second, Tetteh had nowhere to hide. Remarkably, he was able to stay on his feet as Alberts whaled away, but when the end came, he was well beaten.
EARLIER . . .
Sibulele Soboois had too much for Lee-Ann Jansen van Vuuren, winning over four at junior flyweight, and Tyla Promnick also won a four-rounder, beating Noxolo Magagula in their strawweight bout.
