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Malinga wins tough b-day bout

VUS'UMUZI "Marvelous" Malinga celebrated his 29th birthday in style when he overcame a human hurricane in Michael Domingo over 12 rounds on Saturday night.

Malinga, who turned 29 on Friday, gave himself the most important present, the rights to challenge IBF bantamweight champion Johnny Perez.

Malinga and Domingo, the tough-as-nails Filipino who goes by the monicker "Bruce Lee", fought for the No 1 spot in the IBF's bantamweight ratings. US referee Larry Doggett was in charge of this clean-fought, energy-sapping clash.

Polish judge Miroslaw Brozio scored it 117-111 while his colleagues from South Africa Neville Hotz and Jaap van Niewenhuizen's cards read 115-113. These three wise men unanimously voted Malinga as the victor - much to the jubilation of the Malinga family, his entourage and the boxing public, which arrived in force s to witness eight bouts of the Branco Sports Productions bill dubbed "Redemption at Mafikeng".

Ït was hot in there," said the left-handed Malinga, whose corner was manned by his trainer and father Jabulani Malinga and two assistants Peter Malinga, Vusi's elder brother, a former SA, IBO and WBU welterweight champion, and Thulani Buthelezi, also a former pro boxer.

"That guy was not only tough but very clever too. I am happy that the fight went 12 rounds because that was the perfect preparatory bout for the world title."

This will be Malinga's second attempt at winning a world title - the first one went up in smoke when he was blown away in one round by Japan's Hozumi Hasegawa for the WBC strap in Japan in March last year. Malinga will challenge Perez, the Colombian who stopped Silence Mabuza in the 12th round for the IBF title eliminator in May last year.

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