Anthony Cacace has finally made official what was long expected — vacating his IBF super featherweight world title.
Belfast’s Cacace released a statement on social media on Friday afternoon, explaining 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.
I’m a prize fighter and my aim now is to secure mine and family’s future and to create a legacy for myself in boxing by being involved in massive fights that fans will remember.
Look forward to announcing my next fight very soon. Watch this space.”
Cacace (23-1, 8 KOs) won the belt with an upset eighth-round stoppage of Joe Cordina on the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 1 undercard in May 2024. He managed just one defense, a competitive points decision over Josh Warrington on the Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois undercard in September at Wembley Stadium.
After Cacace’s win over Cordina, he was mandated to defend his strap against the mandatory challenger, Mexico’s Eduardo “Sugar” Nuñez. Nuñez, however, agreed on a step-aside deal, which allowed Cacace to face Warrington instead. In the days after Cacace’s victory over Warrington, he was once again ordered to defend against Nuñez, but it took more than three months for a resolution to be reached on that order.
Cacace has now relinquished his championship to pursue other options, which is expected to begin with an Ireland vs. Britain battle against Leigh Wood in the summer on a card promoted by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions as one of the first shows for Queensberry’s new deal with streaming service DAZN.
Nuñez (28-1, 28 KOs) and Japan’s Masanori Rikiishi (16-1, 11 KOs) are the IBF’s two highest-ranked contenders and will be ordered to vie for the vacant super featherweight championship in the coming days.
Nuñez travelled to Tajikistan in February 2024 to earn the mandatory spot with an 11th-round knockout of former IBF titleholder Shavkat Rakhimov. He has only boxed once since then, halting Miguel Marriaga in six rounds in his U.S. debut this past August.
Rikiishi came from behind to score a final-round stoppage over Michael Magnesi in an under-the-radar Fight of the Year contender this past March in Italy to claim the WBC silver crown.
Rikiishi has significant backing from Japan’s famous Ohashi gym — which houses Naoya Inoue — and therefore, Japan is the likely location for Nuñez vs. Rikiishi, should the vacant title bout materialize.
