Cafu set to meet Rodriguez in US in July for unification bout

July 19 has been confirmed as the date for the unification boxing match between World Boxing Organisation (WBO) junior bantamweight holder, Phumelela “The Truth” Cafu, and World Boxing Council (WBC) titlist Jesse “Bam” Rodriquez.

Cafu’s manager and trainer, Colin “Nomakanjani” Nathan, confirmed Cafu’s money-spinning bout.

“It’s no longer speculation,” he said. “The super fight will take place on July 19 at the Star Frisco in Dallas, Texas.

It has been rumoured that Cafu will earn about R3,5m. Nathan did not want to comment on that rumour, but confirmed that “it is life changing in terms of financial remuneration” for Phumelela.

The fight will be broadcast live on DAZN in all territories.

It is the biggest world title fight — a unification bout — SA has had in many years since July 2012, when IBF junior featherweight holder, Jeffrey “Mongoose” Mathebula, met WBO champ Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire in Carson, California.

Donaire defeated Mathebula by a unanimous decision to successfully unify titles.

There had been speculation about Cafu’s fight against American Rodriguez, 25, who has held WBC and The Ring belts since June 2024.

“There was a lot of back and forth between Eddie [Hearn, the British boxing promoter who owns Matchroom] and myself to make this fight happen, and it’s taken about a month of hard work, and it has now been signed and sealed,” said Nathan, whose 30-year-old charge will make his first title defence since he won the WBO belt on October 14 after defeating former four-weight world champ Kosei Tanaka in Japan.