FRISCO, Texas – The unique scenario of having back-to-back unification bouts in queue was not of any concern to Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.
The unbeaten 25-year-old southpaw is now a two-division, unified champion following his one-sided, 10th-round knockout of Phumelele Cafu. A body shot by Rodriguez sparked the fight-ending sequence that led to a corner-requested stoppage at 2 minutes, 7 seconds of the 10th round atop Saturday’s DAZN show from The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
As widely reported, waiting in the wings for San Antonio’s Rodriguez, 22-0 (15 KOs), was a mouthwatering showdown with WBA titleholder Fernando “Pumita” Martinez, 18-0 (9 KOs), later this year. The bout was already announced as part of the November 22 “Ring IV: Night of Champions” supercard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Rodriguez didn’t even acknowledge that fight until he took care of present-day business, and handled it with class, unifying the WBC and WBO titles.
South Africa’s Cafu, 11-1-3 (8 KOs), entered his second straight road trip full of optimism, complete with the promise that he would “knock Rodriguez’s head off.” Not only did that moment never come close to occurring, but he also failed to keep his back off the ropes during any point in the fight.
Rodriguez didn’t waste any time in cutting off the ring, which began a fight-long sequence of keeping Cafu either pinned on the ropes or trapped in a corner. Cafu was quickly forced to play defense as Rodriguez worked his jab downstairs and up top in search of landing something considerably more potent. Cafu was not without his moments, though mostly in counterpunching mode and never more than one shot at a time.
Rodriguez continued to box in Cafu as he worked his jab in the second. Cafu attempted to time Rodriguez coming in but frequently fell short with his left hook. Cafu landed a right hand upstairs but was met with a left to the body by Rodriguez. The final 30 seconds of the frame were spent with Cafu pressed against a neutral corner while Rodriguez worked his jab and straight left.
A jab and right hand by Cafu provided a moment of optimism at the start of the third. Rodriguez pushed past it and immediately forced Cafu into a corner. Rodriguez moved in and out, first to avoid Cafu's right hand over the top and then to set up his jab and right hook to the body. A jab and straight right by Cafu were both picked off by Rodriguez, who ended every combination with a right hook to the body.
Cafu offered up the best account of himself in the fourth, even if it wasn’t enough to win the round.
Rodriguez continued to come forward, but Cafu was able to better time the pound-for-pound entrant. The surge in confidence was detected by Rodriguez, who dialed up the pressure in the final minute and cracked Cafu with right hooks upstairs. Cafu showed a sturdy chin but no response for the incoming.
The fight-long trend of Rodriguez keeping Cafu trapped wore thin the patience of the South African’s corner. The firm instructions to get off the ropes were briefly adhered to by Cafu, but Rodriguez was just too on tonight.
“This was probably my best performance to date,” Rodriguez told DAZN’s Chris Mannix afterwards.
Cafu’s last great moment came in the eighth, when he landed a jab and right hand on the forward-charging Rodriguez. The moment, like all others for Cafu, was short-lived. Rodriguez proceeded to force Cafu to the next corner of the ring and continued with his body attack. The southpaw offered slick head movement to avoid a Cafu right, and then drew cheers from the crowd as he threw in rapid-fire combination.
Rodriguez was determined to break down the mobile Cafu, and eventually delivered.
A wicked body shot began the rally as Cafu was nearly doubled over by the right hook downstairs. Referee Hector Afu was so caught up in monitoring Cafu’s ability (or lack thereof) to defend himself that he was nearly on top of the action.
Rodriguez never relented as he unloaded with power shots. The two tumbled to the canvas, mainly due to Cafu’s best effort to hold on before they both fell. By that point, Cafu’s corner had seen enough and climbed onto the ring apron with the surrender towel in hand.
Cafu’s Cinderella story came to a close after just nine months. He claimed the WBO title in an upset split decision victory over four-division titlist Kosei Tanaka last October 14 in Tokyo.
It was the first career road trip for Cafu and ended with the biggest win of his career. His second fight outside of South Africa was considerably less memorable.
Unless, of course, you were on the other side of the outcome.
Rodriguez has now won five major titles over three reigns spanning two weight divisions. The brilliant run has come in just his past eight fights, and now with the chance to add one more chip in what could mark a Fighter of the Year campaign should he conquer Martinez later this year.
