Boxing South Africa (BSA) has congratulated Phumelela “The Truth” Cafu after he won the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) junior-bantamweight title following his split decision victory over Japanese Kosei Tanaka in Japan on Monday.
Duncan Village-born Cafu got the nod from two judges – Phil Austin and Waleska Roldan (both 114-113) while Jesse Reyes (114-113) gave the fight to Tanaka.
“Boxing South Africa is thrilled to congratulate Phumelela ‘The Truth’ Cafu on his remarkable victory in Japan, where he captured the WBO world junior-bantamweight championship. In a thrilling boxing bout, Cafu secured a split decision win against the former champion, Kosei Tanaka, in what can only be described as a stunning display of skill and determination,” a BSA statement said.
“Cafu’s journey to the top was punctuated by a pivotal moment in the fifth round, where he demonstrated his prowess by dropping Tanaka, showcasing his readiness and ambition to ascend to the pinnacle of the junior-bantamweight division. This victory not only marks a significant milestone in Cafu’s career, but also highlights the growing talent emerging from South Africa’s boxing scene.
“Boxing South Africa is incredibly proud of Phumelela Cafu’s achievement. His hard work, dedication and unwavering spirit serve as an inspiration to aspiring boxers across the nation. We are confident that this championship victory is just the beginning of a successful and illustrious career. His dream of becoming a world champion has been fulfilled as he remarked before this fight.
“As Cafu embarks on this exciting new chapter, we wish him continued success in his future bouts and look forward to witnessing his journey as he defends his title and aims for greater heights in the boxing world. Congratulations, Phumelela ‘The Truth’Cafu! You have made South Africa proud.”
The new world champion has now taken his record to 11 wins with eight stoppages and three draws.
