Belfast talent Anthony Cacace hopes to fulfil his as yet unrealised potential and compete for a world title should he overcome Lyon Woodstock in a predicted tear-up at the Copper Box Arena in Hackney on Saturday evening.
Southpaw Cacace (18-1, 7 KOs) defends his British super-featherweight crown against Leicester’s Woodstock (12-2, 5 KOs), mindful that time is not on his side at 32 if he is to ascend into world class. Two-weight world champion Carl Frampton maintains that Cacace is the hardest, natural puncher he has ever sparred and the British title holder hopes his pedigree will soon be apparent to the wider boxing world, too.
The Northern Irishman impressed in dethroning Sam Bowen to clinch the British crown in November 2019, but hasn’t fought since due to the intervention of Covid-19 and serious dental issues that caused the cancellation of the Woodstock defence last summer. Now Cacace is ready to reignite his career with an eye-catching win this weekend.
“I have had a stop-start career. In the past I have done the bare minimum in fights, but I have stepped it up and know what I have to do to progress,” admitted Cacace. “Carl [Frampton] tells me I hit harder than anyone he has shared the ring with. I am confident in my power and no one has seen it properly yet. I don’t think I am that far away from a world title fight.
“If not a world title, I would like to test myself against one of the division’s best after this fight. It would love to test myself against one of the champions. That would be the opportunity of a lifetime. Anyone on their day can produce the goods and I would love to be in that position.
“I know Lyon is a tough lad and he will be there. He has only lost to top domestic boxers and is rightly operating at that level. He just hasn’t quite got there yet. He is just there, loves a tear up. His style is to break opponents down. That plays into my hands. Even if I did have to go looking for him it wouldn’t matter. There are no fans in the arena, but this is a great TV fight. That is why we picked Lyon as a voluntary defence. We knew it would be good for TV and my profile.”
Cacace vs Woodstock will be shown live on BT Sport 1 HD on Saturday in the UK. The broadcast begins at 7.30pm.