IBF Super-featherweight title
Joe Cordina v Anthony Cacace (Saturday, live on PPV from 5pm)
 
THE eyes of the boxing world and indeed, sporting world, will be fixed upon the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night as Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk fight to decide heavyweight boxing’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.

But it’s not just the big boys that local fans will be tuning in for, as Andersonstown’s Anthony Cacace has his own date with destiny on the undercard as he finally gets his crack at full world honours when he takes on IBF super-featherweight champion, Joe Cordina.

‘The Andytown Apache’, who won the IBO title against Italy’s Michael Magnesi in 2022, has endured a stop-start career, pockmarked with let-downs and crushing disappointments.

Indeed, the last time he was due to appear on a Fury undercard, against Jhonatan Romero when the ‘Gypsy King’took on Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium in April 2022, the fight was pulled just days out when the Colombian failed to obtain a visa.

There have been times he felt that nothing would go his way and began to question his future in the sport, but has stuck with it and now gets his big opportunity on the biggest stage of all.

True to form, he was made to wait a little longer for his opportunity as the cut Fury sustained to his eye in his final spar before the planned date of February 17 forced a delay to the entire card by three months, but in a strange way, this may have actually worked out in his favour.

A planned fight against Ryan Garner last year was pulled due to a broken wrist sustained by the West Belfast man and the added time has allowed his issues to clear as he sets his sights on delivering the performance of his life that will alter the course of his future.

“I can’t complain now,” said the 35-year-old.

“For all the crying I’ve done (in the past), everyone knows I’ve been very unlucky throughout my career.

“Getting this opportunity has made up for it, although I’d have preferred to be a few years younger, but it is what it is. I can let myself down or I can go and really boost my profile.

“It would change me and my family’s life. This would make me a lot of money, be a dream come true and I’d be the first Irish super-featherweight (world) champion.

“There is so much riding on this, so all I have to do is go out and give it my best. If my best is good enough, then I make history.

“Who would ever think I would get on a card like this? It’s amazing.

“I’m doing this for all the people in the area. People who have nothing, I want to show them that anything is possible.”