Fearless, easy-going, supremely-talented... Cacace’s time to shine has finally come on Fury-Usyk spectacular in Saudi Arabia

ANTO Cacace has been written off many times in his career (but never by himself) and went almost three years - from November 2019 to September 2022 - having fought just once.

It was typical of the fearless, notoriously easy-going and supremely-talented Belfast super-featherweight that he returned in Manchester and beat Michael Magnesi to win the IBO World Super-Featherweight title that night. On Saturday he gets the opportunity to shine he has always craved and the stage that should bring the absolute best out in him.

“A lot of people thought I wouldn’t get to this stage but… I’m here,” he said.

“The team’s here and Michael junior has done everything for me over the last two training camps. He has worked very hard for me so I have to give a big shout-out to him and all the team because they’ve gone above and beyond for me.”

Cordina has gone on record that he doesn’t simply want to defend his IBF belt, he wants to challenge the other champions in the super-featherweight division. Cacace is not the fight he was after and Belfast’s ‘Apache’ wants to take advantage of that.

“I know what he’s about and he looks as if he’s in good shape,” said Cacace.

“But I think he thinks he’ll blow me away and it’s up to me to change that. He might have the edge with the boxing and the speed with me but when it comes to the dogfight I’ll have to be the better fighter and the harder man in that ring to get the result I need.

“I’m ready to be that and bring the belts home.”

John Fury, father of boxer Tyson Fury, with blood on his face during a media day in Riyagh. The IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO heavyweight title fight between Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk will take place on Saturday, May 18. Picture: Nick Potts/PA Wire

IT was all kicking off in Saudi yesterday as John Fury, Tyson’s father, got embroiled in heated exchanges (which will do pay-per-view buys no harm) with the Oleksandr Usyk camp.

Heavyweight champions Fury and Usyk clash in a unification spectacular on Saturday night but the first blood spilt came from ‘Big John’ who ended up with a cut on his forehead after he appeared to aim a headbutt at one of Usyk’s team.

After Cacace’s cutman – Dubliner Andy O’Neill – attended to the wound, Fury continued to walk through the throng in the fight hotel defiantly, roaring: ‘Fuuuuraaay, Fuuuuraaay, Fuuuuraaay…’

The Ukrainian crew replied with: ‘Ooooooosick, Oooooosick, Oooooosick’ and stewards were able to keep a lid on the simmering hostility before it got too far out of hand.

Looking on and enjoying the drama was Anthony Cacace, the chief support on Saturday night. ‘Anto’ put his IBO super-featherweight on the line alongside Joe Cordina’s IBF belt but he will be the long-odds outsider in Riyadh.

Cacace has been a professional fighter for 12 years now and, at 35, his big break has finally come. Early in his career he was mucked about in the USA, he had an unhappy stint with Barry McGuigan’s Cyclone Promotions and has worked with the late Pat Magee, Harry Hawkins, Ian Mahood…

On Saturday night, affable Anto will have Michael Hawkins senior and junior in his corner. He first worked with Hawkins at Holy Trinity ABC in West Belfast 15 years ago and they have remained friends since.

“This is the first time that Anto has been consistently training and working – this is the best shape I’ve seen him in and he says it’s the best shape he has been in,” Michael senior explained.

Holy Trinity coaches Michael Hawkins senior (right) and Michael Hawkins junior (centre) talk to former professional fighter Eamon Loughran. Picture by Hugh Russell

Carl Frampton once explained that his former sparring partner has “freakish power”.

“He whips his shots in and it’s frightening,” added the Jackal.

Since Cacace first pulled the gloves on at Oliver Plunkett ABC, the talent has been obvious. Back then Oliver Plunkett had him, Tyrone McKenna and Tommy McCarthy – three Irish champions all the same age – in the gym and they pushed each other on.

“They did great work with them,” adds Michael senior.

“Anthony has always been special and when he joined our club it was great to have him and he was just beat by a point or two in an Irish senior final by Ross Hickey in Dublin but he wasn’t really putting a lot into it.”

Hawkins has worked with many fighters who’ve gone on to be household names – Damaen Kelly, Brian Magee, Sean McComb, Caoimhin Agyarko to name a few – as professionals but there are very few he’d “run around after”.

Cacace was one.

“He’d put your head away!” he said.

“He’s one of those talented people who just wouldn’t train and then there are other people who would train morning, noon and night and never get to where he could get to. He’s got a lot of natural talent and he’s a smashing guy but training is just not his game, he doesn’t like it but he still gets success. He’s got it all but he needs that extra push.

“In Holy Trinity we didn’t have time to run around after people and Anto is one of the very few boxers I’ve every chased to get him to train.

“I would call round to his house, or his flat – get him out from hiding under the bed! Make sure he kept at it so he could make weight for the fights.

“He’s the loveliest fella and we’ve always been very friendly – we never fell out – but if you don’t train you can’t do the job. I came in to the camp in the last few weeks. Young Michael asked me, he said: ‘Anto’s got this fight, will you do it?’ I said: ‘If he promises not to miss one session, I’ll do it’ and he has been very good in his training. So here we are.”

Cordina is making the third defence of his IBF title. Hawkins has studied the Cardiff native – who hasn’t set the world alight in his previous two fights – closely and feels the time may be right for Cacace.

“He’s certainly talented but this could be the perfect time for Anto,” he said.

“Cordina is still talking about moving up to lightweight so that tells you super-featherweight might be a struggle for him now. We’ve looked at quite a few fights and he’s very good but if things go well for us we could do very well here.

“Anthony didn’t have the drive early in his career but he’s been getting it as he’s gone along and now, at 35, he’s getting his big break. He’s going to have to grab it with both hands.”

New Conlan Boxing signing Pierce O'Leary

PIERCE O’Leary has signed a management deal with Conlan Boxing. The unbeaten super-lightweight from Dublin (14-0) won the WBC International title in March and is expected to feature in Belfast next month.

“I have seen Pierce grow as a professional making his debut in the Ulster Hall to being one of the leading lights in Irish boxing at just 24,” said Jamie Conlan.

“I’m delighted that we were able to sign him and be a part of his journey, he’s a natural, spiteful puncher with a fantastic boxing brain and I’m very excited for the future.

“He could be the next Bernard Dunne in Dublin, he’s got a got fan base, he’s exciting, he’s learned on the road and he has a good personality outside the ring.

“Fight news should be coming this week for Pierce for an end of June date in Belfast and I’d love to see him back in Dublin later in the year.”