Anthony Cacace has waited years for a big fight. “The Apache” has been unlucky, avoided and prone to injury during his 12-year career but he saved his finest performance for the biggest stage of all. The unheralded 35 year old IBO super featherweight champion produced a superb display to outlast and stop previously unbeaten IBF champion, Joe Cordina, in eight brutal rounds.
Cacace’s record may not suggest it but he is renowned on the British boxing circuit as a brutal puncher and he hurt Cordina repeatedly as the pair engaged in a spectacular shootout. Incredibly, it was his first stoppage in almost eight years.
The Irishman was overjoyed at finally having fulfilled his potential.
“I am in shock. Nobody gave me a chance to do this but I was confident. We lads from Andytown came all the way to Saudi Arabia and smashed up the champion,” said Cacace, 22-1 (8 KOs), who also dropped Cordina heavily in the third round. “Joe is a hell of a competitor. He’s an Olympic silver medallist and a two-time world champion but I was hurting him every single shot tonight. I’ve got nothing but respect for him and would happily run that back.”
After waiting years to become an overnight sensation, Cacace wasted little time in laying out his plans for the future. The former British champion wants to capitalize on his success and he wants to do it in boxing’s new land of milk and honey. Cacace was overlooked before the fight but by beating Cordina in thrilling fashion, he will now be impossible to ignore.
“From hereon in I wanna be in Saudi every time. No more fights back in the UK. Saudi Arabia is the place,” he said.
“I was the IBO champion. Everyone discredits but it’s a title as well. I’m not gonna discredit that. I was world champ coming here, at least according to my kids.
“Everyone at Matchroom, Zelfa Barrett, stick that up you. None of you gave me a chance. Look at me now, I’ll tell you what, none of you are getting a chance.”
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