Phumelela ‘The Truth’ Cafu put up a solid performance as he dethroned Japanese boxer Kosei Tanaka by a split decision to win the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) junior-bantamweight champion title at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday.
Fighting in front of a hostile crowd, Cafu showed from the first gong why he went to fight in Japan as he took Tanaka head on.
And Cafu floored Tanaka with a beautiful right in the fifth round. However, Tanaka changed the complexion of the fight in the seventh round as he landed some vicious body blows.
But Cafu from Duncan Village in East London was still in it as he fought his way to victory getting the nod from two judges – Phil Austin and Waleska Roldan (114-113) while Jesse Reyes (114-113) gave the fight to Tanaka.