Anthony Cacace says he is hopeful of “doing something” in his home city of Belfast amid talk of a possible WBC super-featherweight world title shot against O’Shaquie Foster.
The 36-year-old vacated the IBF belt to face Leigh Wood on Saturday but retained his IBO title with a ruthless ninth-round stoppage of the former two-time world champion in Nottingham.
Just over a year ago Cacace was an unknown outside of local boxing circles but has firmly established himself as a major player in the division, doing so mostly on the road with his latest victory coming on his opponent’s home turf.
“I’m at the stage now where I’m literally top of the tree,” said Cacace after extending his record to 24 wins and one loss from 25 fights.
“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.”
Cacace’s spectacular run that began 12 months ago when he stopped the previously undefeated Joe Cordina has led to him grabbing the attention of the boxing world and performances like Saturday will only serve to boost his stock further.
In the decisive ninth round, a long, snaking right followed by a left saw Wood stagger back and be held up by the ropes before the 36-year-old beat referee John Latham’s count.
But there was no letting the challenger off the hook as Cacace finished superbly, thudding home punches that prompted Wood’s trainer Ben Davison to throw in the towel.
Just Cacace’s ninth win inside the distance, he said he did not want to afford Wood the opportunity to show his feted powers of recovery.
“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.”
Wood was returning to the ring after a 19-month break, but following wins over Cordina and Josh Warrington, Cacace has now beaten three two-time champions in succession.
“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 said.
“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.”
Cacace will turn 37 in February but, after his late rise through the division, said he has 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.”
