Headline News

Carl Frampton warns Anto Cacace that it’s “now or never”


It’s fight week for Anto Cacace [16(7)-1(0)] and we really are at a crossroads for the Belfast super featherweight.

Out of the ring 14 months, Cacace returns on Saturday on the James DeGale v Chris Eubank pay-per-view card at the O2 Arena in London.

Facing Argentine Alan Castillo [26(10)-7(2)], the Andersonstown talent has the chance to jump back into title contention but his former training partner Carl Frampton warns that it is now or never for ‘The Apache’.

‘The Apache’ and ‘The Jackal’ were once Cyclone stablemates, training under Shane McGuigan in London – with Cacace leaving after his 2015 Celtic title win over Ronnie Clark and Frampton following suit in 2017.

While they were together, Frampton was massively impressed by Cacace, calling him both the most talented and hardest hitting fighter he had ever come across and he has always kept a keen eye on his fellow Ulsterman’s career.

Two-weight titlist Frampton [26(15)-2(0)] feels that Cacace must take his chance versus the South American featherweight champion on the ITV Box Office bill and still believes that the West Belfast man has the capacity to go far in the game following years of frustration.

Writing in his weekly column for the Sunday Life, Frampton outlined how “until now, Belfast’s Anthony Cacace’s talent has been going to waste but this Saturday night in London’s O2 Arena he has the chance to kick-start his career on the undercard of James DeGale against Chris Eubank Jnr.”

“Cacace turned 30 earlier this month and having been out of the ring for 14 months he has hit the point of now or never when it comes to him proving his true potential. When he was training me a few years ago I would have said that Anto could go all the way to becoming a world champion because he has good skills and really, really punches.”

“He’s facing a decent Argentinian in Alan Islais Lugues Castillo over 10 rounds and it’s live on ITV Box Office so Anto has the chance to show everyone that he deserves big opportunities in 2019, and who knows just how far he could go because he’s massive for super featherweight.”

dpg

logo may

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

x