Ricardo Malajika wins WBC super-flyweight title in Tokyo

South African boxer Ricardo Malajika beat Japan's Tomoya Tsuboi by split decision in Tokyo on 27 September to claim the vacant WBC super-flyweight title.

27 September 2026 19:42 SAST 1 min read

South Africa’s Ricardo Malajika won the vacant WBC super-flyweight world title in Tokyo on Sunday, 27 September, beating Japan’s Tomoya Tsuboi by split decision after 12 rounds.

Two judges scored the contest 115–113 for Malajika, while the third had it 116–112 for Tsuboi, according to Indonesian news agency Antara. Japanese fight outlet eFight independently reported a 2–1 decision for Malajika, with the same three scores listed from Tsuboi’s perspective. The bout went the full distance at Toyota Arena Tokyo.

The win gives the Johannesburg boxer his first WBC world belt. South African outlet TimesLIVE also reported his victory by split decision on Sunday. The title had been vacant before the contest, the World Boxing Council said in its pre-fight notice.

Malajika entered the fight with 17 wins and two defeats, including 12 knockouts, according to the WBC. Tsuboi, a former amateur world champion, had three professional wins and one no-contest going into his first world-title challenge. The South African was ranked second by the WBC and the Japanese fighter first.

Malajika is also the holder of the IBO junior-bantamweight belt. Sunday’s decision makes him the WBC champion at the 115-pound limit. The result was confirmed by reports published after the fight in South Africa, Japan and Indonesia; it is not an account of a bout still to be fought.