American boxer Jesse Rodriguez emerged victorious in a super flyweight title unification bout on Saturday, stopping South Africa’s Phumelele Cafu in the 10th round.
The win, a showdown of previously undefeated fighters, saw Rodriguez add Cafu’s WBO title to his WBC crown.
Rodriguez delivered a powerful right hook, followed by an unanswered flurry of punches, leading referee Hector Afu to halt the fight at 2 minutes and 7 seconds into the 10th round. “All I remember is I caught him with a right hook. That’s about it,” Rodriguez recounted.
He described it as his “best performance” against his “toughest opponent.”
Fight Details and Future Plans
With this victory, the 25-year-old Rodriguez improved his flawless record to 22-0 with 15 knockouts. Cafu, 26, suffered his first professional loss, falling to 11-1 (3 draws) and snapping his seven-fight win streak in his US debut.
Rodriguez praised his opponent, acknowledging Cafu’s toughness and unexpected power. “I wasn’t hurt, but I could feel he had popped. He had better pop than I expected,” he said, indicating a need to adjust his strategy during the fight. He explained that he had to “slow my pace down and set him up with a few shots here and there like I did to get him out of there.”
The early rounds of the 115-pound (52.2 kg) southpaw matchup were cautious, with both fighters demonstrating respect for each other’s abilities.
Rodriguez landed a strong combination in the ninth round, leading to the decisive flurry in the 10th that forced Cafu’s corner to wave the towel.
Looking ahead, Rodriguez intends to challenge the division’s other unbeaten champion, WBA titleholder Fernando Martinez of Argentina, on November 22.
Despite a minor cut on his left knuckle, Rodriguez confirmed he was “fine” and expressed his ambition: “I want to be undisputed, especially the way I did it against Cafu, a world champion, and I got him out before the 12th round. It just shows I’m here to stay.”
