Ricardo Malajika wins WBC crown by split decision in Tokyo - TimesLIVE

Ricardo Malajika won the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super-flyweight title crown as he edged Tomoya Tsuboi of Japan by split decision in Tokyo on Sunday night.

The South African endured a strong onslaught from the 2021 amateur world champion in the opening six rounds, but he used his speed, power and ring craft to take control in the second half.

Two judges scored it 116-112 and 115-113 for 28-year-old Malajika, already owner of the International Boxing Organisation junior-bantamweight title. One had it 115-113 for Tsuboi, 30.

Malajika’s record improved to 18 wins (12 KOs) and two losses, while Tsuboi suffered his first defeat as a professional, dropping to 3-1, with one no contest.

Tsuboi was fast-tracked in the paid ranks after scoring a stoppage win over former world champion Carlos Caudras of Mexico, but he found Malajika a tougher proposition.

The home favourite dominated the earlier rounds, settling into a rhythm quickly and controlling matters with his jab while his flashing right hand looked dangerous.

He suffered a cut from a clash of heads above the hairline in the opening moments, but that didn’t seem to faze him.

Malajika used hit-and-run tactics, often lunging in from the outside, which worked to some extent as he connected with single punches.

He also switched to the orthodox stance frequently, though he looked vulnerable to the right-hand counter in the earlier stages.

But it was a strategy that worked, and by the sixth round Tsuboi was more circumspect when attacking.

In the seventh round, Tsuboi suffered a second cut from an accidental clash of heads, but this time above the right eye.

By then the momentum had shifted to Malajika, whose victory came on the 40th anniversary of Brian Mitchell’s World Boxing Association junior-lightweight title win at Sun City.

Mitchell, Malajika’s manager, worked the corner with coach Manny Fernandes, who is now the first South African trainer to have two reigning WBC titleholders in his gym.

Siyakholwa Kuse won the WBC minimumweight belt at Emperors Palace in May.

With recently crowned women’s WBC super-featherweight champion Bernice Ferreira, South Africa now has three reigning WBC titleholders for the first time.

The WBC belt is the most desirous in professional boxing.