Underdog Phumelele Cafu springs surprise in Japan with victory over Kosei Tanaka

In an excellent fight, South Africa’s unbeaten Phumelele Cafu won the WBO super flyweight championship, scoring a fifth-round knockdown on his way to a contentious split decision win over Kosei Tanaka.

It was a brilliant battle. Tanaka looked heartbroken by the end, although he had done himself proud, while all of Cafu’s dreams came true at the Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

“I’m speechless,” said a jubilant Cafu. “This is everything I ever wanted. My whole life. My whole career.”

The cards read 114-113 (twice) in his favor, while one judge marked the same score but for Tanaka.

There was little in it, in truth, but the big, crunching right hand knockdown made the difference.

Tanaka, 20-2 (11 KOs), tried to lead in the first while the South African was opting to counter.

Cafu missed several left hooks early in the second but connected with the shot as Tanaka closed the space between them in the middle of the round.

Tanaka picked and prodded with rapid straight shots, doubling his jab and leading with right hands and they landed hard blows simultaneously at the bell.

Cafu, 11-0-3 (8 KOs), had his moments in the third, and his trainer, Colin Nathan, could be heard cheering his every success, shouting “Yes” each time from the corner.

Tanaka posed a constant threat and Cafu was working hard to stay with him. The Japanese fighter started to score more regularly to the body as the fight wore on, and Cafu was seemingly trying too hard to make the left hook work.

Cafu was keeping his shape, however, and tucking up well and in the fifth detonated a terrific counter right hand that dropped Tanaka heavily.

Tanaka had tried to launch a right uppercut but Cafu released his right like an arrow and Tanaka crumbled.

Having thrown so many left hooks, it was the right hand that had shocked the champion.

As the action resumed, Cafu was measured and composed in his follow up and Tanaka managed to get his legs back under him.

Tanaka looked sharp again in the sixth but Cafu, sporting dyed purple hair to match his purple shorts, was happy to meet him in the exchanges.

The champion was busy in the seventh. He upped his volume, found a groove and his body work was increasingly relentless. Cafu shook his head to deny the effect of the body shots, but they were landing with a hurtful regularity. It was a big round for Tanaka.

“You’re giving him too much fucking respect,” shouted Nathan in the corner.

There were plenty of entertaining exchanges through the eighth and Cafu slotted in a left-right that jarred Tanaka’s head back. Good round.

Arguably the more eye-catching shots came from the visitor but Tanaka was persistently scoring and answering almost all scoring shots with his own and he maintained regular investments to the body.

Cafu, now with swelling below the left eye, caught Tanaka on the end of several right hands in the 10^th but the champion’s fitness was extraordinary and he had plenty in the tank to not only stand up to big shots – including a solid right hand to the side of the head – but to outwork the challenger.

Again, the South African thumped home good punches in the 11^th, but he could not prevent Tanaka walking forward and throwing his own shots and near the close of the session they both swung for the fences. It was an exhaustive battle.

Tanaka’s engine, however, did not falter. He was fresh and filled with energy and his pressure caused distress flares to signal from Cafu late on. He looked to his corner and as Tanaka came on strong, Cafu managed to see out the fight and hear the final bell.

Superb contest, and one they could do again.