Jacobs will ‘have to come through me’ if he wants the title, vows Madiba

WILL Faeez Jacobs oblige?

A rematch with Tumisang Madiba, pictured, that is.

Following their last fight at EFC72 where Faeez stunned the Grand West crowd when he defeated the infamous “President” in a highly anticipated bout, Tumisang feels that he is fully deserving of a rematch.

“Without beating about the bush, I think Madiba vs Jacobs part two is the right fight. I would really love to fight Faeez in Cape Town,” says Madiba, who lost via rear-naked choke in round one.

“The timing is perfect, I am on a winning streak now, he is too – including a victory over myself. The first fight did not live up to its expectations from my side. I was training for only six weeks after a long layoff. So he took advantage of the moment, congrats on him,” says Madiba who came off an impressive ‘fight bonus’ win over DRC’s Serge ‘Last Number’ Kasanda at EFC77.

“I said it with the Sylvester (Chipfumbu, and now teammate) fight as well, the past two years have been very tough, it included changing nappies and making bottles for my nephew and daughter, and with my suspension, i was not really training.

“It didn’t make sense to me to be training while I was wasn’t going to be earning any money because I was already struggling to make money to be honest, but now, I am back in the game and I am in it to win it, I have that momentum now (two back to back wins), he (Faeez) has momentum now, too.

“If he really wants to make himself a legit call for contendership, he has to go through me,” says Madiba, who tested positive for cannabis after his fight against Irshaad Sayed at EFC 58 in Cape Town.

“I think it’s time to collide, yes he has beaten some people but I am the biggest name he has beaten, he has to go through me to get that title because there is nobody more deserving you know.

Madiba (9-6-0) and Faeez are certainly of the biggest names in the Bantamweight division and a shot a the title should come at no surprise for either fighter once Luthando Biko (interim champ) and JP Buys (champ) unify the belt at EFC78 in Cape Town next month.

At EFC77, Madiba moved up to lightweight against Kasanda after his originally scheduled bantamweight bout was called off after Devon Cronje pulled out due to an alleged meniscus tear.

“It was very challenging, I came in at like 67 kilos before the fight at lightweight, basically the same weight I would have fought at should I have fought at bantamweight, cos that is what I was cutting for, Serge was a big guy,” says Madiba, who eventually finished Kasanda in the second round via Rear Naked Choke.