Phumelela Cafu’s camp is racing against time to secure a visa for his big US fight in Frisco on July 19.
The Duncan Village star will face American Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez for the WBO, WBC and Ring junior-bantamweight titles in the biggest fight involving an SA boxer in a while.
However, he faces a visa conundrum with the strained relations between SA and the US reportedly making things tougher.
Cafu was given a July 26 date for a visa appointment even though the fight is on July 19.
However, his manager, Colin Nathan, is trying to secure an earlier date which will allow the camp to leave in time for the fight.
Nathan could only say he was getting everything in place as the team planned to leave next week.
“We are still sorting out the visas before we can be sure of the exact date to leave.”
He said the team planned to spend a week in Las Vegas before flying out to Dallas for another week if the visas were secured on time.
“It depends on how long it will take to obtain a visa. Maybe we will have to fly straight to Dallas.”
The fight will pit unbeaten world champions against each other, though Rodriguez will come as a heavy favourite owing to winning world titles in the flyweight and junior-bantamweight divisions.
The 25-year-old beat elite opposition such as multiple world champion Juan Francisco Estrada, Carlos Cuadras, Sunny Edwards, Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Pedro Guevara, who were either champions or top boxers in the two divisions.
Listed fifth in most pound-for-pound mythical ratings, Rodriguez is already predicted to engage in big bouts, though he insists he is not overlooking Cafu.
Nathan said he was not concerned about Cafu’s underdog tag and the media’s prediction about the American’s future bouts.
“All I can say is the training is going very well and Cafu is on track to stun the boxing world,” he said.
Cafu, who is a year older, is never short of confidence, saying he is on course to make SA boxing history by winning three world titles in one bout in his opponent’s backyard.
“These are the kind of fights that light a fire in my belly, so I am pumped up for this,' he said.
“I hope the visa challenge is sorted out so that we can follow our plans seamlessly; otherwise Bam does not scare me.
“In fact, as the fight is getting closer, I am becoming more confident about my chances.”
Cafu last fought in October when he came in as a dark horse to upset four-division world champion Kosei Tanaka to win the WBO title in his Japanese backyard.
The fight served as the last for Tanaka, who has since retired due to a persistent eye injury.
Rodriguez was in action a month later when he needed three rounds to destroy Guevara, stretching his knockout winning streak to three since his points victory over Christian Gonzalez to claim the WBO flyweight title in April 2024.
Daily Dispatch
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