Phumelela Cafu was inspired to title win by promise he’d made to his mother

“Look at me,” shrieked the trainer Colin Nathan in the corner. “You’re giving him too much fucking respect.”

There was a pivotal moment in between Phumelela Cafu and Kosei Tanaka trading bombs in Tokyo earlier in October when, after round seven, the South African coach Nathan moved to motivate Cafu, his charge.

“Now listen to me,” the coach told the 26 year old. “All that shit that you want to buy your mother a house, and an apartment in Sandton – you’re letting him take it away from you.” 

It came from a place of both urgency and love, but such instructions can be perceived as risky, given the age of social media, when Nathan could face condemnation for cheerleading or attention-grabbing or making it all about himself rather than handing down crucial tactical advice. 

The minute-long period between sessions can be make or break, and trainers must choose their moments wisely.

Nathan’s timing, words and delivery were impeccable and struck a chord with his fighter. There was a time and place for strategic instructions, but Nathan felt the time to get at his fighter emotionally. It worked, too.

“It did,” acknowledges Cafu, the new WBO junior-bantamweight champion. “Because in round seven a lot was going through my mind. I thought I was going to knock this guy out and he kept on coming, so I started to question my fitness, whether it would carry me through all 12 rounds. Do I have what it takes to win? So a lot was running through my mind at that moment. 

“When I got to the corner, Col told me, ‘It’s not only changing your life, you promised to buy your mum a new house’, and as he told me that, I remembered that Tanaka was not only taking my dream away, he’s also taking my mom’s dreams away because I promised my mom I’m going to get her a house and I planned on keeping that promise. Tanaka tried to take that away from me and I couldn’t let him do that.”

After 12 terrifically hard-fought and even rounds, Cafu emerged a split-decision victor. From Duncan Village in the Eastern Cape, his career dreams moved closer to reality. Cafu is 11-0-3 (8 KOs) and he is thinking big.

“I’m from the hood – it’s kind of tough where I’m from,” he added. “But I can’t say I come from a poor family. I’ve always had everything that I needed. I’ve never really struggled growing up. My mom took good care of me, so I won’t say I come from a poor family, but the plan is to move my mum out of the hood, man. Yeah.”

Cafu flew back to Johannesburg for a few days before going home to Duncan Village. He’s been given a hero’s welcome everywhere he has been, too, while sporting his WBO crown.

“It feels amazing,” he continued. “It hasn’t really sunk in, that I’m a world champion. I’m getting there. I’m kinda feeling amazing. The attention I’ve been getting lately; the warm welcome I got from my friends and family. It feels amazing.

“It was really a good fight. I wasn’t expecting anything less than that. I knew Tanaka is a tough guy, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy getting the win, so I was kind of prepared for anything on that day.

“I really enjoyed Japan. The people over there are very respectful, the fans over there are very nice people and they gave me a warm welcome; even went to the hotel before my fight and they asked me to sign autographs and stuff; took pictures with me and wished me good luck for the fight, so Japanese fans are really great.”

Cafu had been confident throughout camp, but two days earlier, high-profile stablemate Sivenathi Nontshinga had lost his IBF crown in Japan after Masamichi Yabuki stopped him in nine rounds for his light-flyweight gold.

“After Sive’s fight, it kind of got to me,” Cafu said of the defeat. “I was like, ‘Ah fuck’. I really expected him to win. It would have been a really great thing coming back with both world titles. That is boxing. You can’t say what is going to happen and anything is possible. It was hard when he lost, but I knew what I was there for. I was there for a fight and I was there for myself. Sive’s been a world champion so it was time for me to also make a name for myself.”

The mission did not change despite the team’s momentum doing so. They maintained their focus and did what was required, even if Cafu felt he might have been able to stop the 20-2 (11 KOs) Japanese star before they fought.

“My prediction going into the fight was I will knock Tanaka out in round five or six, because I knew as soon as things start to heat up, he’s going to be more vulnerable and careless, so I knew I was going to catch him with a counter,” said Cafu, who dropped Tanaka with a blistering right hand in the fifth round. “Maybe a counter left hook, because that’s what we’ve been working on, trying to draw him in and counter him, so I’ve been working on that. Once I caught him, I thought, ‘Nah, the fight is over.’ He stood up and I tried to finish him, but when I went for the finish, I could see he wasn’t really gone. His legs were still there, so I thought I should really pace myself, not go all out and maybe gas myself out or maybe even end up on the canvas.

“I knew his stamina is good because he has fought at the highest level. I was watching his fights and he has stamina for all 12 rounds, so that’s what I’ve been working on, to make sure I can go the full 12 rounds also. And I was truly fit for that but I think the body punches he caught me with kind of played a big role, because I was kind of fatigued in the 12th round.” 

Cafu has lofty goals. Japan was the start, he hopes, of the many things he still wants to achieve. He also is appreciative that Tanaka gave him a shot in the first place and because of the narrow verdict, he has no concerns about giving Tanaka a return. 

“Yeah, for sure – I think he deserves a rematch,” Cafu stated. “I wouldn’t mind giving him a rematch because he gave me a chance at his title. I also believe I’ll be better in the next fight than I was in this fight, so I’ll just have to wait for what my team says is next for me.

“For now, I’d like to defend my title. I’d like to get a bit more experience at world level; maybe unify. I was looking forward to fighting [Fernando] Martinez. I believe he has both [WBA and IBF] belts in the division – I’d like to win both belts and maybe have three titles around my waist. But for now, one thing I’m looking at is I’d love to defend my title and maybe later on or next year get a unification fight.”

When the time comes, whether Nathan will be getting in his face to motivate him or providing tactical advice or insight, they will be side by side.

“Col is a great guy,” Cafu smiled. “I call him ‘Pops’, because we’re so close. Ever since I joined him, he promised me a world title shot and he’s delivered. I’m very grateful to him. He’s a great guy; he cares about his boxers and they respect him and he gives us what we ask for, so I’m always grateful to him.”

So, now, is Cafu’s mother.