Malajika, The Ring’s No. 7-rated junior bantamweight, is riding a nine-fight winning streak dating back to September 2022 after two decision defeats in three fights prior.

Since then, the 28-year-old South African has needed patience as the moving parts have shuffled at 115 pounds after Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez's latest move up in weight.

Tsuboi-Malajika will feature on the main card preceding Takuma Inoue-Tenshin Nasukawa II at the Toyota Arena in Tokyo, Japan.

"I am a Christian who believes in good timing, God's timing is the best," Malajika (17-2, 12 KOs) told The Ring.

"I did get frustrated [waiting] but sometimes in life you must take a step back and wait for the good times. There was talk of [Kenshiro] Teraji, they weren't sure what would happen with Bam, he decided to move up, [WBC president] Mauricio Sulaiman announced this fight and bang, here comes the dream."

Malajika pitched an extensive five-month training camp in Johannesburg with trainer Manny Fernandez. Having exclusively boxed in his native South Africa since turning pro in 2018, he's taking this away day in stride with a relaxed view of Tsuboi.

"I don't really look at my opponents because I don't want to go in the ring with the mindset of, 'he's got this or that.' I leave that to my coach, he will work, tell me what he does and I trust my coach."

While there are many differences, including a seven-hour time difference from home, extensive travel and culture, Malajika believes one variable is similar wherever you are in the world.

"A fight is a fight," he said. "The only difference is adjusting to their time, which is why I came in last Thursday to adjust. Japan is very clean and very respectful, a different world from South Africa. Japan is brilliant so far, the kids and adults are respectful, a good place to be."

It's a far cry from his impoverished beginnings in South Hills, a poor, underprivileged suburb of Johannesburg. He is one of six brothers who grew up alongside their parents in an abandoned two-room flat without running water.

Malajika and younger sibling Charlton (9-1-1, 4 KOs), a rising bantamweight, would often visit their amateur boxing gym for a shower.

One of the custodians further incentivized their trips saying he'd buy them french fries if they stayed to train. Fast forward to present day and Malajika is keen to show just how far he's progressed, both in and outside the ring.

"I need to give back to boxing, there's a lot of the line," he said. "Since I've been here, they speak highly of Tsuboi but don't know me as much.

"Looking at the fight on Sunday, I just have to show them how great I am, that I am a boxer that can adjust. When I leave here, let them talk about me the same way they talk about him."

Meanwhile, Fernandez believes his charge is coming into his own and is ready to grab the title with both hands.

"He's improving all the time; his punching power is improving too," said the veteran trainer. "Ricardo's had a very good camp, we're happy with everything and coming to win."

Tsuboi (3-0, 2 KOs), The Ring's No. 6-rated junior bantamweight, was a former amateur standout who won gold at the 2021 world championships.

Now 30, he made his professional debut amid plenty of fanfare in March 2025.

He outpointed Van Thao Tran over 10 rounds before an eighth-round stoppage of veteran former world champion Carlos Cuadras last November. His most recent outing against Pedro Guevara was curtailed early in the second round after an accidental head clash left Cuadras unable to continue on April 11.