Phumelele Cafu to Defend WBO Title in May; Gonzalez Bout Off

Phumelele Cafu is scheduled to defend his WBO junior bantamweight title in late May in South Africa, but his anticipated fight with Roman Gonzalez is no longer happening. The negotiations for this bout have broken off, leaving Cafu to pursue a home-turf defense following his title win over Kosei Tanaka. Depending on Cafu’s success, a possible matchup against Gonzalez later this year remains a possibility.

Phumelele Cafu is set to defend his WBO junior bantamweight title in South Africa this coming late May. His planned opponent, Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez, will no longer be part of the match as recent negotiations fell through. Cafu’s team confirmed that a specific date and opponent for his defense are yet to be finalized.

Previously, Cafu was in discussions for a fight against Gonzalez in Managua, Nicaragua, which hinted at exciting prospects for both fighters. However, those talks unexpectedly halted, leaving Cafu without an opponent. On his social media, Cafu stated, “For whatever reason, the Chocolatito fight has not come together. We are now moving ahead with Cafu’s first defense of his World title right here in South Africa.”

The last fight saw Cafu achieve a surprising victory over Kosei Tanaka to claim the WBO title, disrupting Tanaka’s potential match with Gonzalez. Cafu, the current No. 4 junior bantamweight, is looking to solidify his status with a title defense at home after previously competing only in South Africa. Should he win in late May, another matchup against Gonzalez later this year may still be on the horizon.

Gonzalez, aged 37, has not fought since a victory in July 2023, ending a long layoff and is considering his next move. The status of whether Gonzalez will engage in a stay-busy fight or wait on Cafu’s outcome remains unclear. His win over Barrera marked his return to boxing on home turf, setting the stage for a potential title challenge against Cafu, which would have been a historic first for both fighters.

In summary, Phumelele Cafu will defend his WBO title in late May in South Africa, while his anticipated bout with Roman Gonzalez has been put on hold due to unforeseen circumstances. Cafu achieved his championship status with an upset win over Kosei Tanaka and now aims to continue his title reign at home. Discussions for a future Gonzales matchup could resume depending on the outcome of Cafu’s upcoming fight.

Original Source: ringmagazine.com