Tomoya Tsuboi vs Ricardo Malajika fight preview, betting odds, prediction

Tomoya "Trickster" Tsuboi vs Ricardo "Magic Man" Malajika

By James Blears

Tomoya "Trickster" Tsuboi of Japan and Ricardo "Magic Man" Malajika of South Africa contest the WBC super-flyweight title, left vacant by Jessie "Bam" Rodriguez.

This appealing fight is on the undercard of the Takuma Inoue vs Tenshin Nasukawa clash, with both on the same night of Sunday September 27th at the huge Toyota Arena, Tokyo, live on Prime Video and DAZN in the U.S.

And this particular fight represents an extraordinary gamble for Tomoya. If successful, he would have achieved more with less, in almost no time at all, as this is only his fifth professional fight!

He’s being fast tracked by Teiken Gym and guided by the vastly experienced Coach Sendai Tanaka, who himself gained fame by training Marco Antonio Barrera.

Practised eyes at the gym and this Coach have recognised Tomoya’s exceptional talent and beckoning potential. This became evident during his amateur career of 37 bouts spanning 2015 and 2024.

He won the Amateur World Championship in the bantamweight category and then bronze medals at the Asian Games and the Asian Amateur Boxing Championships.

Tomoya turned pro only last year, aged 30, so no time to waste. In just his second bout he defeated Tran Van Thao for the vacant Asia Pacific bantamweight title.

Then the quantum leap, by taking on accomplished, seasoned, wily, hard-hitting former WBC super-flyweight champion Carlos "Medicine Man" Cuadras, who, aged 37, had no antidote to the younger, faster and fresher opponent. It ended in round eight with a flurry, punctuated by a heavy right hook which staggered Carlos. That convinced Referee Nobuto Ikehara to step in and save the sturdy veteran from further punishment in the epicentre of the Toyota Arena, Tokyo.

Carlos, who thereafter hung up his gloves and retired, graciously and generously predicted that Tomoya would indeed go on to conquer the world. Ambitious progress climbing the ladder continued.

In his next fight, Tomoya took on former WBC light flyweight and ex WBC Interim super flyweight champion Pedro Guevara. Unfortunately declared a no contest, following an accidental clash of heads in round two.

Tomoya himself sees his acceleration in plain terms saying: "I feel like I’m on the doorstep of becoming a world champion. I’ve always been good at making adjustments, thinking my way through and using momentum. Helped by my team, I’m building my career step by step, blending what I’ve learned as an amateur and combining it with the skills required in the pro sphere."

But this blending isn’t going to be a piece of cake, because South Africa’s Ricardo "Magic Man" Malajika, aged 28, is coming to give everything, in order to reap the rewards of boxing seeds planted 20 years ago, nourished by blood, sweat and tears.

Ricardo also has his own amateur background, becoming South African Amateur Champion six times before turning pro in 2018. For the last eight years, he’s been mentored by former two-time World Champion Brian Mitchell and his wife Sharlene, at their Boxing Academy.

He trains alongside WBC Strawweight champion Siyakholwa Kuse. Ricardo’s record is 17-2, 12 KO’s. His defeats came in his eighth and 10th bouts. He’s learned a lot from them and since then.

Ricardo’s younger brother Charlton "Baby Pain" Malajika recently fought a draw for the WBC International bantamweight title with David "Sniper" Mwale.

This will be Ricardo’s first time boxing outside South Africa, but being the road warrior holds no concerns for him. He said: "For 20 years of my life I’ve been boxing and I’m hungry for Green and Gold. This will be the cream on the cake. I’m coming to Japan with my 'Baby Brother.' I couldn’t go without him. This is going to be the fight of the night and I’m going to give it my absolute all. My everything!"

Tomoya Tsuboi isn’t exactly a total novice, but he is indeed still a relative newcomer and new boy to the pro ranks, while Ricardo Malajika already knows the ropes. Will he be able to strand the Japanese prodigy on them, or does Tomoya have a trick up his sleeve?

Betting Odds

1/5 Tomoya Tsuboi

4/1 Ricardo Malajika

22/1 Draw

10/11 Tsuboi decision or technical decision

8/1 Malajika decision or technical decision

7/4 Tsuboi by KO, TKO or DQ

10/1 Malajika by KO, TKO or DQ

Prediction

Tim Rickson, GBN Editor: "Tsuboi is one of those special talents that you get excited about, similar to when Naoya Inoue burst onto the scene. Carlos Cuadras agrees. He's a complete novice in the pros and Malajika is very experienced, so there could be a lot of hurdles for him to overcome, but I think he will be quick and fleeting in the first few rounds until he gets to grips with the South African, breaking him down with that swift, piercing jab. Some of his flurries must feel like a hailstorm for his opponents, because the punches come in so fast and bountiful, just shots raining down in a flash storm.

"I'm picking Tsuboi to win, probably on points. Malajika has never been knocked out, but if there is a stoppage in this fight, then I would expect it in the late stages, rounds 10-12 perhaps."