The WBO has a new junior bantamweight titleholder after Phumelele Cafu (11-0-3, 8 KOs) dethroned Kosei Tanaka (20-2, 11 KOs) via razor-thin split decision at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan on Monday night.

The scores were 114-113 (twice) for Cafu, and 114-113 Tanaka.

What was expected to be something of a routine title defense for Tanaka proved to be anything but. South Africa’s Cafu, 30, dragged him into a brawl and got the better of the exchanges.

Tanaka, currently rated at No. 4 by The Ring at junior bantamweight, started well enough, dictating the range and sharp-shooting from the outside. But in the second heat, Cafu started sitting down on his punches.

The 29-year-old Japanese champion, a classic upright boxer who throws stiff shots, lifted his workrate in the third. Picking and poking from the outside, he displayed good ring generalship and output, but Cafu went with him, landing the heavier blows.

First-time world title challenger Cafu showed good maturity in the fourth. A natural counterpuncher, he baited Tanaka to close the distance and the local fighter obliged. Tanaka abandoned the jab and the pair traded on even terms through the back half of the round.

Cafu grew in confidence in the fifth. A clubbing right hand over the top dropped Tanaka, not for the first time in his career. But as we have become accustomed to, Tanaka beat the count and recovered quickly, seeing out the round without any further trouble.

HE DIDN’T SEE IT COMING.

Down goes Tanaka 😳 #NakataniChitpattana pic.twitter.com/WLJpZBMHS8

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) October 14, 2024

Cafu kept up the pressure in the sixth. His sheer physicality forced Tanaka to stand and trade while he would’ve been better served relying on his cat-like reflexes and boxing in and out. But in this sport, you don’t always have choices.

Tanaka got back into his rhythm in the eighth, but a spirited speech from Cafu’s trainer Colin Nathan between rounds roused Cafu to lift again. He started well with the jab and clipped Tananka with a right hand midway through the round. But the champion was resolute.

Cafu kept the fight on his terms in the 10th. A three-punch combination got around Tanaka’s guard early and he had little choice but to stand in the pocket and trade.

The fight hung in the balance in the championship rounds.

Cafu, a natural counterpuncher, waited a little bit too long for Tanaka in the penultimate round, with the champ landing the crisper shots. But in the deciding round it was Cafu who got the better of the action, dragging Tanaka into a brawl and landing the heavier blows.

“This is everything I’ve ever wanted, my whole life, my whole career,” said Cafu after the fight.

The fight was close enough that a rematch would be a natural. And no fight fan who watched tonight would not want to see it again.