ANTHONY CACACE IS Ireland’s newest boxing world champion after producing a stunning performance to relieve Joe Cordina of his IBF super-featherweight title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Belfast’s ‘Apace’ dropped previously undefeated Welshman Cordina in the third round and forced the referee to stop the contest in the eighth, dominating a pulsating contest on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s generational heavyweight clash with Oleksandr Usyk.
Cacace, 35, has seen countless breakthrough opportunities in his career fall by the wayside due to injuries either to himself or to his opponents.
But the man affectionately known to be the best-kept secret in Irish boxing exploded onto the world stage with a demolition of two-time world champion Cordina, 32.
Though the two-time world-champion Welshman also had his fair share of success in a high-octane, high-quality battle, Cacace landed twice as many shots as the beltholder before referee Bob Williams stepped in to protect the brave Cordina from himself.
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Cacace wheeled away in celebration as he finally earned the culmination to his life’s work in a sport which has so often left him down.
Cacace lands a big left hand. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
“Listen, I am in shock,” said Cacace. “Nobody gave me a chance to do this here. Wee lad from Andy-town (Andersontown, Belfast), coming the whole way over to Saudi Arabia and smashed up the champion.
“Joe is a hell of a competitor. He’s an Olympian, a two-time world champion. I give him his dues but tonight, I was hurting him with every single shot. But I have nothing but respect for him and I’d love to run that back.”
After an excellent opening couple of rounds in which both men fired spiteful shots to head and body, Cacace received a reprimand from referee Williams in the third as he landed a thudding left hand on the Welshman after Williams had called ‘break’.
Cordina, known for his speed and silky skills, appeared to embrace the gritty fight into which Cacace — an equally good boxer — was attempting to drag him. He paid the price within the same round as Cacace pummeled him, rocked him, and eventually dropped him with two thudding right hands upstairs.
Cordina beat the count but as he attempted to find the legs beneath him, Cacace poured it on again. Referee Williams inspected closely as the Irishman teed off on Cordina against the ropes, but the Welshman’s defensive instincts were such that he survived as far as the bell.
Cordina showed remarkable powers of recovery to reestablish himself in the contest in the fourth, arguably nicking the round with the cleaner shots as Cacace plotted his next assault.
But after years of setbacks, the Belfast man would not be denied on the biggest night of his career. Cacace seized the moment, stunning Cordina on several more occasions and eventually forcing a stoppage in the eighth round as the Welshman was rendered virtually defenseless.
In victory, Cacace remarkably became Ireland’s first ever world champion in the super-featherweight division.
“I’m bringing this belt back to Andy-town,” he concluded.
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Ireland's Anthony Cacace stuns Joe Cordina to become world champion
ANTHONY CACACE IS Ireland’s newest boxing world champion after producing a stunning performance to relieve Joe Cordina of his IBF super-featherweight title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Belfast’s ‘Apace’ dropped previously undefeated Welshman Cordina in the third round and forced the referee to stop the contest in the eighth, dominating a pulsating contest on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s generational heavyweight clash with Oleksandr Usyk.
Cacace, 35, has seen countless breakthrough opportunities in his career fall by the wayside due to injuries either to himself or to his opponents.
But the man affectionately known to be the best-kept secret in Irish boxing exploded onto the world stage with a demolition of two-time world champion Cordina, 32.
Though the two-time world-champion Welshman also had his fair share of success in a high-octane, high-quality battle, Cacace landed twice as many shots as the beltholder before referee Bob Williams stepped in to protect the brave Cordina from himself.
Cacace wheeled away in celebration as he finally earned the culmination to his life’s work in a sport which has so often left him down.
“Listen, I am in shock,” said Cacace. “Nobody gave me a chance to do this here. Wee lad from Andy-town (Andersontown, Belfast), coming the whole way over to Saudi Arabia and smashed up the champion.
“Joe is a hell of a competitor. He’s an Olympian, a two-time world champion. I give him his dues but tonight, I was hurting him with every single shot. But I have nothing but respect for him and I’d love to run that back.”
After an excellent opening couple of rounds in which both men fired spiteful shots to head and body, Cacace received a reprimand from referee Williams in the third as he landed a thudding left hand on the Welshman after Williams had called ‘break’.
Cordina, known for his speed and silky skills, appeared to embrace the gritty fight into which Cacace — an equally good boxer — was attempting to drag him. He paid the price within the same round as Cacace pummeled him, rocked him, and eventually dropped him with two thudding right hands upstairs.
Cordina beat the count but as he attempted to find the legs beneath him, Cacace poured it on again. Referee Williams inspected closely as the Irishman teed off on Cordina against the ropes, but the Welshman’s defensive instincts were such that he survived as far as the bell.
Cordina showed remarkable powers of recovery to reestablish himself in the contest in the fourth, arguably nicking the round with the cleaner shots as Cacace plotted his next assault.
But after years of setbacks, the Belfast man would not be denied on the biggest night of his career. Cacace seized the moment, stunning Cordina on several more occasions and eventually forcing a stoppage in the eighth round as the Welshman was rendered virtually defenseless.
In victory, Cacace remarkably became Ireland’s first ever world champion in the super-featherweight division.
“I’m bringing this belt back to Andy-town,” he concluded.
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aaaand the new