SuperSport: Phumelele Cafu vs. Genisis Lagumbay Libranza & Mpumelelo Tshabalala vs Jesse Espinas RBR

Live from Orlando Community Hall in Soweto, Gauteng, South Africa.

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...how's that for a clarion roll-call?

 

Mpumelelo Tshabalala vs. Jesse Oliberos Espinas, 10 rounds @ light flyweight

 

Halfway through, been smooth sailing for Tshabalala with the long jab and right cross from outside and the threat of a counter uppercut is Espinas charges inside. Steady driving pressure and effort from the Filipino southpaw, just can't make any headway finding range.

Tshabalala dropped Espinas in R3.

 

SuperSport will be airing Usyk vs. Dubois live next Saturday.

 

This is Espinas' first time boxing outside southeast Asia. In his 27 previous bouts he fought outside the Philippines just twice, both times in Thailand.

Despite having less experience and having only competed at home in South Africa himself, Tshabalala has looked by far the more composed and confident man in the ring - although Espinas is coming on here down the stretch.

 

Very strong final 2.5-3 rounds or so for Espinas, but he was in too deep a hole to not score a KO. (in fairness he tried for that very hard in the last couple of minutes, belting Tshabalala with some looping lefts, but it wasn't to be)

97-92 Tshabalala, 96-93 or 98-91 is fine.

Commentators have Tshabalala by 2 points. (not sure how that works mathematically with there being a 10-8 unless they also both scored a round level )

 

Official cards:

98-91
97-92
99-90

UD for the winner, claiming the vacant WBO intercontinental junior flyweight champion...Mpumelelo Tshabalala

 

The widest card giving Espinas only a round is harsh. At the very least he won the 9th & 10th clear.

 

Ought to be, the ring emcee mentioned before Tshabalala vs. Espinas that is was "number three of four title bouts" on the card.

 

Phumelele Cafu vs. Genisis Lagumbay Libranza, 10 rounds @ super flyweight

 

Quick bit of international anthemry.

 

The book on this one is very reminiscent of the co-main. "Cobra" Libranza is, like his countryman Espinas, older man with greater depth of experience and has always been a fringe contender but never quite an elite. "The Truth" Cafu (like Tshabalala the taller and rangier man) is an 18 year old prodigy with 7 of his 8 wins by KO, but also three draws, suggesting he may skew heavier on power than skill.

Libranza has just two career losses, one by stoppage - at the hands of another South African, the timeless Moruti Mthalane ib 2017.

 

Round 1

Libranza is walking into hook-2 combos, muscling his way inside and hurting overhand rights and loaded up left hooks at point blank. Cafu throwing often and with accuracy, but seems less than comfortable being put on the backfoot. Cafu not able to get full leverage on his combos in reverse but he does send sweat flying off Libranza's head and set his mop of hair standing on end with a counter left hook. Light jabs from belt line to throat by Cafu working off the ropes as Libranza continues to bear down on him.

10-9 Libranza, very close