Belfast boxer Anto Cacace has made the decision to vacate his IBF world super-featherweight title in pursuit of securing the “biggest fights possible.”
The 35-year-old won the world title in May 2024 by defeating Joe Cordina in Saudi Arabia, and later claimed a non-title victory over Josh Warrington at Wembley Stadium four months ago.
Cacace was scheduled to face mandatory challenger Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez for the IBF title in his next bout. However, by relinquishing his belt, Cacace is now free to take on any opponent he chooses.
In a post on Instagram, Cacace explained his decision: “Today I have decided to vacate my IBF world title. Becoming a world champion was an absolute dream and an incredibly proud moment for me. However, at this stage of my career, I only want the biggest fights possible, regardless of the belt on the line.”
Cacace shocked the boxing world by knocking out Cordina in the eighth round during the undercard of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk’s undisputed heavyweight fight in Riyadh. As the underdog, Cacace delivered a stunning performance, handing Cordina his first professional loss and claiming the world title.
His first defence was expected to be against former world champion Josh Warrington, but the IBF refused to sanction the fight as a world title bout due to Warrington’s inactivity at super-featherweight. In the absence of a title on the line, Cacace won the fight by unanimous decision, capping off an impressive 2024.
Cacace will be joining the Nations Fight Night pundit team on Saturday, where fans can hear more from him.