SOUTH African boxer Vusi "Marvelous" Malinga landed in the US at the weekened, confident of winning the vacant IBF bantamweight crown from unbeaten Mexican prospect Leo Santa Cruz in California on Saturday.

The Malinga fight is one of four world title fights that will be beamed worldwide by Showtime Championship Boxing Promotions.

The event is headed by a cruiserweight showdown between former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver and Nigerian-born American Lateef Kayode.

Other bouts will involve former junior middleweight champion Ronald Wright who will take on highly-touted Peter Quillin in a middleweight contest.

WBA junior middleweight king Austin Trout will be defending his title against South African Isaac Hlatshwayo's former victim, Delvin Rodriguez.

Showtime has managed to convince six promoters, Golden Boy Promotion, Branco Sports, Gary Shaw, Greg Cohen, Joe DeGuardia and AT Entertainment, to work together in producing this rare collaboration.

Branco Boxing Promotion's boss Branco Milenkovic, who promotes Malinga, said he was excited to be part of this unique tournament even though he was the only promoter not from the US.

"It feels good when an African promoter like myself is able to swim with the big boys of American boxing promotions to make such a rare tournament happen," Milenkovic said.

This will be Malinga's first visit to the US.

At the same time, it will be Malinga's second attempt at a world title after failing to win the WBC crown in 2009 when he lost to Japan's Hosumi Hasegawa

The eKurhuleni fighter, who is trained by his father Jabu, thanked Milenkovic for having afforded him another shot at a major world title.

"To fight for another major world title on a major network like Showtime after I lost to Hasegawa is incredible.

"I must thank Branco for this chance because not many fighters can get such an opportunity," he said.

I have trained very hard for this fight and I have come to the US to take the title back home."

"I'm confident I will win," Malinga said.