“Opinions don’t pay our bills; results do.”
That was trainer Colin “Nomakanjani” Nathan’s response when asked about divided opinions on WBO junior bantamweight world champ Phumelela “The Truth” Cafu challenging revered WBC and Ring Magazine holder Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez in Texas on July 19.
Some people say Cafu could do what fellow countryman Simpiwe “V12" Veteyeka did to 100-1 hot favourite Chris “The Dragon” John, stopping the WBA super featherweight champion in six rounds in Australia in December 2013.
John, from Indonesia, tasted defeat in his 52nd fight, bringing his 10-year WBA title reign to an end.
Others believe Cafu will not hear the bell going for the 12th and last round, meaning he would have lost by a stoppage.
Speaking from his hotel in Las Vegas in the US on Wednesday, Nathan said: “Opinions don’t pay our bills, but results do. We are confident of pulling off a huge upset; we put in a lot of hard work.”
Nathan has previously guided fighters to produce upsets when not given the slightest of chances. The list includes Hekkie “The Hexecutioner” Budler, Sivenathi “The Special One” Nontshinga and Cafu when he won the WBO belt against former four-weight world champ Kosei “The Monster” Tanaka in Japan in November last year.
The trainer said Cafu's camp has been joined by US-based local former IBF mini flyweight world champ Deejay “Bamooza” Kriel.
“Joshua Feldman and Doron Zinman also flew in to support Cafu,” said Nathan, whose charge is guaranteed an eight-figure purse.
Cafu said he feels “great and everything is coming together”.
“The weight cut, my gym mates are here to support me. I will be disappointed if I don’t perform the way I want and not how people expect me to perform. I believe I am a good boxer who can beat Bam and on the night I will prove it.”
Cafu and Rodriguez are undefeated as professional boxers. Cafu has 11 wins against three draws.
Rodriguez, 25, is a two-division world champion. Born in San Antonio, Texas, he knocked out Juan Francisco “El Gallo” Estrada in the seventh round to win the WBC and The Ring Magazine junior bantamweight titles in July last year.
He retained it with a third-round KO over Pedro “Jibran” Guevara in November last year — his 14th KO in 21 wins.
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