Headline News

Anto Cacace to be presented with prestigious award as British title chase heats up

Anthony Cacace [15(7)-0] is to be tonight awarded a prestigious honour from the British Boxing Board of Control Northern Ireland Area Council.

The Belfast super feather, the reigning BBBoC Celtic champion, has been named this season’s winner of the Eddie Shaw Memorial Trophy.

The award, given to the Northern Ireland Area boxer of the year, is named in honour of the legendary trainer, and Andersonstown’s Cacace follows in the footsteps of the likes of Eamonn Magee, Darren Corbett, Neil Sinclair, Ray Close, Glenn McLarnon, Damaen Kelly, Tommy Waite, Carl Frampton, Brian Magee, and Eamonn Loughran.

The award hopefully signals the start of a period of great success for The Apache who is in line for a British title fight and is also highly ranked in the European 130lbs ratings.

Purse bids for a clash with champion Martin J Ward, who is one win away from winning the Lonsdale Belt outright, are due in Wednesday week [April 12th], although negotiations are expected between both camps beforehand.

If an agreement with the Leeds boxer and his team at Matchroom cannot be agreed, Cacace’s manager Pat Magee is confident that he can win the purse bids and bring the fight to Belfast.

Ward has stated his desire to defend against long-time mandatory challenger Cacace, and such a fight must take place by the end of June.

There is a thinking that the bout, alongside one for Cacace’s stablemate Tommy McCarthy, could form the spine of an undercard for the long-promised Ryan Burnett Belfast homecoming, and all should become clearer over the next ten days

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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