Anthony Cacace Says Belfast Title Fight Would Be ‘Unbelieveable’ As Talk Of WBC Shot Grows Louder

Northern Irish boxer Anthony Cacace says he is hopeful of a fight in his home city of Belfast as talk grows of a WBC super-featherweight title shot.

Cacace, 36, vacated the IBF belt in order to face Leigh Wood on Saturday. But he retained the IBO title thanks to a stoppage in the ninth round against two-time world champion Wood.

In barely a year, Cacace has risen from a relative unknown to become one of the leading boxing figures in his weight division.

Speaking after his latest win, he said: “I’m at the stage now where I’m literally top of the tree.

“I’ve disposed of all the top featherweights and super-featherweights in Britain, so I wouldn’t mind bringing it back to Belfast and doing something before I hang up the gloves.

“Winning the WBC title in front of my home crowd, which I’m very capable of doing, would be unbelievable.”

Anthony Cacace Eyes Home City Title Fight

Saturday’s win against Leigh Wood made it 24 wins and one loss for Cacace in 25 fights.

His incredible run began a year ago, when he stopped the then-unbeaten Joe Cordina.

Cacace’s stock has continued to rise, and this latest victory will only increase calls for him to get another title shot.

A devastating right-hand in the ninth round sent Wood stumbling back into the ropes, before barely surviving the referee’s count.

But a further onslaught from Cacace saw Wood’s trainer throw in the towel.

With Wood’s famed ability to recover from seemingly impossible positions, Cacace was grateful to have stopped the fight before it went the distance.

He said: “I thought to myself, you know, he’s a Cinderella man.

“People have had him like that and then he ends up sparking them out, so I just said to myself, ‘Empty the tank’.

“I knew he was gone, and I was very aware that I could have blew up, but I felt that was him, I could see Ben there ready [so] just keep punching until he throws it in.”

Where Is Anthony Cacace From?

Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Anthony ‘the Apache’ Cacace describes himself as “Irish” and grew up in west Belfast’s Andersonstown area.

He has Italian heritage through his father, who is from Sorrento, Italy, and Cacace has visited Naples, where many of his extended family still live.

Speaking after his win, he acknowledged that Leigh Wood’s 19-month break from the ring may have played a part.

He said: “I don’t know if I fought the best Leigh Wood, but I fought Leigh Wood as again he’s another two-time world champion.

“He’s beaten some really good names. It was a fight he’s been asking for, a fight that he’s been telling everyone he was going to knock me out.

“It just shows you that I’m better than what I look like sometimes and I hit harder than my records suggest.”

Despite being 36 years old, his sudden rise late into his career has inspired Cacace to keep going.

“Never in my wildest dreams, genuinely, did I ever think that I would be where I’m at and that’s the truth,” he added.

“We’re living in dreamland compared to two years ago.

“I can’t just stop now, can I? I’ll have to keep going. I don’t have many miles on the clock.”