PHUMELELE CAFU stunned four-weight world king Kosei Tanaka to become the new WBO super-flyweight champion in Tokyo.
Cafu dropped Tanaka heavily in the fifth and that moment ultimately secured the victory by the narrowest of margins with the three judges returning a split decision verdict.
Jesse Reyes had it 114-113 to Tanaka but when both Phil Austin and Waleska Roldan scored it 114-113 to Cafu, there was a new world champion crowned.
The victory comes just days after Cafu’s fellow South African Sivenathi Nontshinga lost his world title in Japan but the man from Duncan Village would not be denied at the Ariake Arena.
Cafu said: “I’m speechless. This is everything I’ve ever wanted, my whole life, my whole career. Now I’ve finally got it. Thanks to the Japanese fans for welcoming me.”
Tanaka had made a sharp start against counter-puncher Cafu, gliding in and out of range to score leaving his opponent chasing shadows early on.
But the challenger started to make some headway in the second and got through with a big right hand just before the bell to end the round. Tanaka took it well.
That set the tone for an entertaining third, where both men had spells of success. Tanaka followed up a double jab with a left hook to the body but Cafu fired straight back. There was more high-level action in the fourth and it was Tanaka who was enjoying the better of it but Cafu was looking sharp on the counter.
And so it proved midway through the fifth when Tanaka attempted to land an uppercut, with Cafu sinking home a hard right hook which sent the champion over. He landed on his hands and knees and managed to haul himself in time to beat the count. He looked on unsteady legs but Cafu was unable to find a finish in the final 80 seconds of the round.
He recovered further in the sixth, which was a good round for Tanaka overall and he built on it in the seventh, which was like target practice for the champion, who was investing heavily to Cafu’s body.
Even so, Cafu was still looking like the puncher in the fight and seemed to be hurting Tanaka whenever he landed with his trademark counters. it seemed as though everything was to play for in the championship rounds but there was little to choose between the pair, both visibly tired by this point. Tanaka, however, piled on the pressure in the final round, and was still swinging when the final bell rang.
But it was not enough for Tanaka to retain the belt in what was his first defence with Cafu edging the closest of decisions.
Before that, Anthony Olascuaga against Gonzalez, three months on from blowing weight against Tanaka, did not even make it out of the first round due to an unintentional headbutt from the former, which resulted in a no contest.
The orthodox champion, who was making the first defence of his WBO flyweight title, accidentally landed with his head over the left eye of the southpaw Gonzalez. And, when Robert Hoyle asked if he could see, Gonzalez said ‘no’ which gave the referee no choice but to wave it off immediately. The time of the stoppage was 2:25 of the first.
