Anthony Cacace pulled off a stunning victory as he claimed the IBF world junior lightweight title with an eighth-round TKO win over Joe Cordina. The fight took place on the undercard of the highly anticipated undisputed world heavyweight title bout between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Cacace, hailing from Belfast, Northern Ireland, improved his record to 22-1 with 8 knockouts as he secured his first major world title. On the other hand, Cordina, from Cardiff, Wales, suffered his first professional defeat, moving his record to 17-1 with 9 knockouts.
The pivotal moment in the fight occurred in the third round when Cacace landed a significant left hand on Cordina after the referee had called for a break. This led to a knockdown for Cordina, who struggled to recover from the powerful blow. Cacace then took control of the fight, dominating with a barrage of punches and landing 116 power punches compared to Cordina's 41, as per CompuBox statistics.
As the fight progressed, Cacace continued to assert his dominance, landing heavy hooks and uppercuts on Cordina. In the eighth round, just 39 seconds in, Cacace overwhelmed Cordina with a relentless assault, prompting the referee to stop the fight and declare Cacace the winner by TKO.
Reflecting on his victory, Cacace expressed his surprise at the outcome and praised Cordina's competitiveness. He emphasized that every shot he landed was hurting his opponent and denied any foul play in the third-round incident.
Following this defeat, Cordina may consider moving up to the lightweight division after facing some close fights in recent bouts. Cordina's previous victories include a disputed majority points decision over Edward Vazquez and a split points verdict against Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov.
The fight between Cacace and Cordina showcased the resilience and skill of both fighters, culminating in a memorable victory for Cacace and a learning experience for Cordina as he contemplates his future in the sport.
