Vusi Malinga is facing the most important fight of his life when he challenges WBC bantamweight king, Hozumi Hasegawa at the World Memorial Hall in Kobe, Japan, on Thursday.
Malinga will enter the fight as the underdog, due to Hasegawa’s experience gained from 27 professional bouts with only two losses. The Japanese champion has defended his WBC title seven times since capturing it from Thai Veeraphol Sahaprom in April 2005.
Malinga and his father Jabu, who is also his trainer left for Japan last week and they have been in regular contact with promoter Branco Milenkovic, who on Tuesday said the boxer was ready to take up the challenge.
Although the odds are stacked against Malinga, Milenkovic believes his charge could spring a surprise and dethrone Hasegawa.
”I am always hopeful when my fighters face opponents who have lost before and the fact Hasegawa has already lost twice in his career, is good enough for me to believe he can lose again,” Milenkovic said.
Malinga is used to being regarded as an underdog in his fights, as was the case when he faced Sahaprom for the right to challenge Hasegawa in June last year. He rose to the occasion and sensationally bludgeoned Sahaprom to a fourth round defeat and earn the right to challenge Hasegawa.
Now following in the footsteps of his uncle, Thulani ”Sugarboy” Malinga, who was the first fighter in the country to win the WBC crown when he beat English star Nigel Benn for the super middleweight crown in 1996, the younger Malinga is confident of bringing back the WBC crown from Japan.
”I have always prayed for a chance against Hasegawa and after beating Sahaprom, that dream was realised,” Malinga said.
”Although I would have loved to get into the ring with Hasegawa earlier, I had to wait for my promoter Branco to pull the strings. Now the fight is on so the ball is in my court.” — Sapa