MMA
Stephen Kihn, Special to KweséESPN 6y

Tumisang Madiba not underestimating Faeez Jacobs

MMA

Tumisang 'The President' Madiba is well aware he is making his comeback against a dangerous prospect in Faeez Jacobs at EFC 72 on Saturday.

Madiba (7-4-0) returns from a year's suspension after testing positive for cannabis, having seen his three-fight win streak snapped by Irshaad Sayed in a performance-of-the-night showing in his last fight in April 2017.

Jacobs is also coming off a defeat, losing by rear-naked choke to Callum Ellenor in March to drop his record to 3-2.

Madiba, however, acknowledges his 23-year-old opponent has made some noise in the bantamweight division, as evidenced by their main-card slot at GrandWest Arena in Cape Town.

"I knew about him from when I was residing in Cape Town," Madiba told KweséESPN.

"He was doing very well for himself then in the various amateur promotions. Since I've been gone, people have come up and have made names for themselves. 

"He has done well for himself. He has done enough to get on the main card and to be given a fight against me. I can't knock him for anything, he's been doing great from what I've been seeing. 

"He's hungry, he's a young gun. He's looking to take some names so I think that makes him dangerous in that regard."

Madiba, though, has plenty of faith in what he brings to the table and is looking to put Jacobs' stand-up game to the test.

"I come to fight, that's the thing, that's my strength.

"I'm an all-round athlete. I'm willing to take it anywhere on the ground or standing and my cardio has always been pretty good. But, Faeez is a good striker so I want to test his striking," said Madiba.

Madiba has notably switched camps since losing by TKO to Sayed in the Mother City. The 29-year-old is now training at the Alberton Wrestling Club in Johannesburg under coach Walter Wendt, and boasts featherweight champion Igeu Kabesa and flyweight king Nkazimulo 'Zulu Boy' Zulu as sparring partners.

"I miss Cape Town, you know. Nothing's like Cape Town but for the betterment of my style as an MMA athlete I had to leave," he said.

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