Malajika vs Sigqibo Purse: Big South African Payday Awaits?

The IBO Junior Bantamweight champion, Ricardo Malajika, is set to make his second title defense this Friday night against the formidable Yanga Sigqibo. But beyond the action-packed fight night at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg, there’s always the burning question: how much is on the line for these athletes? Let’s dive into the details with our Malajika vs Sigqibo purse breakdown.

Malajika vs Sigqibo Purse – Who Will Strike Johannesburg Gold?

Predicting the Malajika vs Sigqibo purse will be quite challenging since we don’t have much information about the previous paydays of these fighters. Will the Malajika vs Sigqibo showdown offer the same lucrative purse as last week’s Western clash between Aloys Junior and Oronzo Birardi in London?

Let’s find out if South African boxing is matching the financial stakes of its international counterparts. 

We will have to rely on boxing fighter fighter pay trends to come up with a plausible Malajika vs Sigqibo prize money estimation. 

Emerging South African fighters Brandon Thysse and Roarke Knapp fought at Emperors Palace in 2019. Despite neither fighter holding a world title, their bout commanded a purse of R600,000 – a cool $300,000 in greenbacks.

Given the stakes involved, with a world title on the line, it’s safe to say that the Malajika vs Sigqibo payouts will be significantly larger.

We believe the total purse size for the Malajika-Sigqibo showdown is $500,000. Malajika should take home $350,000 as the champion, while Sigqibo will receive a $150,000 check for his challenge. 

Boxing Fighter Payouts – Malajika vs Sigqibo

Local hero, Ricardo “Magic Man” Malajika, will step into the ring with the full support of his hometown crowd. Sporting a 13-2 record, Malajika is eager to extend his winning streak and strengthen his grip on the IBO Junior Bantamweight title. 

A former amateur standout, Malajika turned pro in October 2018 and quickly made waves. His crowning moment came in February 2023 when he captured the IBO super flyweight title with a dominant performance against previously undefeated Kevin Luis Munoz at Emperors Palace. 

The only blemishes on his otherwise impressive record are two points losses, both suffered at the hands of Sabelo Ngebinvana and Siko Ngothole.

Just last April, the 25-year-old sensation successfully defended his title with a masterful performance against the British and Commonwealth champion, Marcel Braithwaite. Over twelve grueling rounds, Malajika showcased his world-class boxing skills, dominating with a lethal jab, and impeccable footwork.

Yanga Sigqibo is hungry for redemption. Six years after falling short in his bid for the WBC Junior Bantamweight title against Rene Dacquel, the determined fighter is back in the world title picture. This time, his sights are set on the IBO belt, and he’ll be looking to make the most of this second chance.

At 30 years old, Sigqibo brings five years more experience to the ring than Malajika, boasting a record of 18 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw from 21 bouts. Since his unsuccessful world title challenge in 2018, the Duncan Village fighter has been on an impressive eight-fight unbeaten streak.