By Joe Koizumi
Photos by Naoki Fukuda (to come soon)
South African Ricardo “Majic Man” Malajika (18-2, 12 KOs), 114, acquired the vacant WBC super flyweight belt when he edged previously unbeaten WBC#1 Tomoya Tsuboi (3-1-1NC), 114,75, by a split decision (116-112, 115-113, for Malajika, 113-115 for Tsuboi) over twelve close rounds on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan. It was such a close affair with Tsuboi slightly leading after the eighth on opening scoring system: 77-75 twice for him and 76-76. But it was Malajika that scored with a bit more effective shots in the championship rounds. It was unfortunate that Tsuboi sustained cuts on the forehead in the first and seventh, though they were almost stopped by his corner. Tsuboi, a Japanese Miguel Canto stylist, was former World Cup gold medalist and excellent on speed and skills, but he couldn’t show his trademark sharpness as usual—partly because of his occasionally bad bleeding.
Promoter: Teiken Promotions.
