Ricardo Malajika pitches shutout over Marcel Braithwaite in South Africa

In a career-best efficiency, junior bantamweight Ricardo Malajika utterly outboxed British and Commonwealth champion Marcel Braithwaite over 12 rounds Friday evening at Emperor’s Palace in Gauteng, South Africa.

The primary spherical began with Malajika launching a gradual stream of jabs. He slammed in proper hooks to the physique of Braithwaite, who stalked his opponent behind a excessive guard. 

When Braithwaite determined to throw within the second spherical after consuming steady jabs, Malajika effortlessly ducked beneath his left hook. The South African then introduced his proper uppercut into play each time Braithwaite appeared able to launch. Malajika additionally landed his straight proper and deftly stepped off to his proper earlier than Braithwaite might counter with a left hook.

Braithwaite tried some chopping rights to the top of Malajika within the third however might solely discover air as his opponent floated away.

Braithwaite switched to the physique within the fourth as Malajika alternated his jab to the physique and head however might solely handle touchdown a single left uppercut. Malajika confirmed wonderful footwork, stepping and turning to keep away from the physique punches.

That set the sample of the combat. Malajika labored the left stick continuous, checking Braithwaite together with his proper uppercut each time he tried to set himself. Now and again, Malajika’s straight proper adopted the jab. 

Braithwaite lastly landed a proper within the fifth, solely to get caught once more behind the Malajika jab and eat two straight proper arms for his bother.

Malajika landed a left-right-left mixture within the sixth and adopted that up moments later with one other trio of punches: double left hook to the physique, proper uppercut to the top. Braithwaite let rip with a vicious left hook-right hook mixture that discovered solely air.

Malajika simply stored pecking away at Braithwaite, piling up the factors because the rounds glided by. He added a left hook round his opponent’s guard within the ninth, swinging himself away from hurt with the momentum of the punch.

Within the tenth, a straight proper from Malajika bloodied the nostril of Braithwaite. When one other straight proper landed on the button, sending Braithwaite stumbling again right into a nook, Malajika snapped out of boxing mode and determined to get his man out of there. He punished Braithwaite with mixtures on the ropes because the bell rang.

Malajika landed an enormous proper uppercut to begin the eleventh, and Braithwaite used the opening to land a left hook of his personal to the highest of the top. Malajika ripped in mixtures to the physique and head of his opponent, who was now bleeding profusely from the nostril. On prime of that, Braithwaite’s left eye was swelling. Braithwaite confirmed super coronary heart and tried his finest to combat again, however Malajika checked him with a left hook-right uppercut because the spherical ended.

Maybe it was out of boredom, maybe simply to make a degree, or possibly his left was getting drained, however Malajika began the final spherical preventing in a southpaw stance. Similar factor. He nonetheless jabbed Braithwaite to a standstill, this time together with his proper, whereas dropping  in straight lefts. He switched again to orthodox in the direction of the tip of the spherical, maybe in search of to spring a shock and let his mixtures go. Nonetheless, Braithwaite was as powerful as they arrive and made it to the ultimate bell.

The an identical playing cards of 120-108 got here as no shock. 

It was a world-class efficiency by Malajika, whose jab, footwork and command of distance had been wonderful. He now improves to 13-2 with 9 knockouts whereas Marcel Braithwaite, who competed nicely in opposition to the likes of Sunny Edwards and Jay Harris, drops to 16-4-1. 

In the primary supporting bout, Shaun Potgieter turned the brand new South African heavyweight champion when he got here from behind to attain a rousing Eleventh-round knockout of Keaton Gomes.

A victorious Shaun Potgieter. (Photograph by Droeks Malan)

The pair had met earlier than, in 2022 when Gomes blasted Potgieter out in a single spherical. Potgieter then gained 5 straight to get himself one other shot, however a defeat like that’s laborious to reverse.

No one will ever mistake both man for Muhammad Ali or George Foreman, however in their very own approach Potgieter and coach Gert Strydom engineered a poor man’s model of the rope-a-dope.

Within the first spherical, it was clear that Potgieter was concentrating on staying away from Gomes’ proper, the hand that did him in of their first encounter. Gomes landed a left hook after lacking a proper, however each time he tried to get momentum going, Potgieter lined up, held on and pushed him again into the corners.

An overhand proper backed Potgieter to the ropes within the second earlier than they fell right into a mauling clinch once more. A giant left hook from Gomes had Potgieter trying shaky on the finish of the spherical, however he hung in there.

That was the sample for the primary 5 rounds. Gomes landed the tougher photographs, successful the rounds, however Potgieter did the whole lot he might to outlive and frustrate his opponent. He had small pockets of success, flurrying to the physique often and touchdown his proper uppercut, however Gomes landed the tougher, clearer photographs.

The combat modified momentum towards the tip of the sixth spherical. After Gomes despatched the spray flying from Potgieter’s head with a proper, a punch Potgieter had now seemingly given up attempting to keep away from, Potgieter drilled his opponent with a proper uppercut adopted by a proper hook that clearly shook Gomes for the primary time within the combat.

Gomes was nonetheless there, beginning the rounds nicely together with his extra explosive punches, however Potgieter was steadily clawing his approach again into the combat with proper uppercuts within the second half of the rounds as Gomes was catching his breath.

In a dramatic ninth, Gomes obtained off to begin, touchdown his left hook and proper arms. Simply as he appeared like he was regaining management of the combat, an enormous proper uppercut from Potgieter rocked him, and he virtually fell by way of the ropes as Potgieter simply stored on throwing the identical shot.

Each had been respiration closely and appeared spent within the tenth. Gomes mustered many of the offensive output, presumably shading the spherical.

Potgieter got here out for the eleventh, dug deep and determined to go for broke. An enormous proper uppercut despatched Gomes reeling again into the nook. Potgieter let rip with two proper hooks, a left hook and one other proper hook that despatched Gomes slumping ahead to the canvas. He one way or the other dragged himself up, however with blood streaming out of his mouth, he was counted out on his toes on the 0:48 mark.

Shaun Potgieter takes his report to 9-1 with six knockouts whereas Keaton Gomes drops to 10-3.

In a crossroads bout, junior middleweight Brandon Thysse obtained again into the win column with a 10-round cut up resolution over younger upstart Darrin Rossouw.

Each fighters began the primary spherical by jostling for place with their respective jabs, however a tough left hook and straight proper earlier than the bell edged it for Thysse.

Rossouw was aggressive and stored throwing. He had some success, touchdown a brief left hook across the guard of Thysse within the second, however a lot of his punches had been blocked on the arms and gloves of his opponent.

Thysse put Rossouw on the ropes within the third, digging in proper arms to the physique and ducking below most of what a seemingly annoyed Rossouw was throwing. 

Within the fourth, an enormous proper adopted by an uppercut prompted a smile from Rossouw, who let his arms go however was spun round within the nook by Thysse. Thysse was additionally working the physique constantly. Rossouw was touchdown some quick photographs on the within, however they had been few and much between.

Within the sixth, Thysse knocked Rossouw’s head again with a proper. Rossouw landed a proper of his personal however then proceeded to eat a gradual stream of jabs. A large proper by Thysse turned Rossouw sideways and a left hook in the direction of the tip of the spherical twisted his physique as soon as once more, however extremely, Rossouw simply soaked it up.

Thysse appeared to financial institution the primary six rounds, his expertise displaying within the type of higher protection, distance management and punch accuracy.

The momentum began shifting within the seventh with the ever-aggressive Rossouw dropping his degree and having some success to the physique and head. Thysse straightened him up with a proper uppercut that despatched the spray flying, however Rossouw didn’t budge and easily dug in a double left hook to the physique of Thysse.

One other proper uppercut caught Rossouw flush within the chin within the eighth, however one way or the other he simply soaked it up and continued to let his arms go. Thysse landed two huge rights for the rest of the spherical, however Rossouw landed his photographs in shut as nicely.

A left hook from Thysse within the ninth made Rossouw stumble, however he fought previous it and outworked Thysse, who seemed to be tiring.

They exchanged punches to the top and physique within the closing spherical. A left uppercut from Rossouw strayed low, forcing a time-out, however he backed Thysse to the ropes with two-fisted mixtures when the motion resumed.

All three judges scored the combat 96-94, two for Thysse, with a dissenting card in favor of Rossouw.

Brandon Thysse improves to 16-4-1 with 12 knockouts. Darrin Rossouw drops to 8-2, however he can maintain his head excessive. He confirmed super tenacity and a terrific chin. He can come once more.

Undercard Outcomes:

Sanele Mbatha Majority Draw 4 Clifford Louw (gentle heavyweight)

Dylan Prosser UD 4 Fhulufhelo Ramaliba (gentle heavyweight)

Dean Promnick KO 3 Khumbulani Duma (middleweight)

The cardboard was introduced by Rodney Berman of Golden Gloves Promotions.