Amidst a frenzy of increasingly stressed camera operators and visibly disgruntled fighters, Anthony Cacace appeared the calmest man in the room.
There was a lot of the usual verbal sparring at Thursday’s news conference for the undercard of Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois’ world heavyweight title fight at Wembley Stadium.
Cacace and Josh Warrington paid it no mind. Unperturbed by the spiky atmosphere in the spectacular surroundings of Guildhall, the two men kept their exchanges refreshingly civil just 48 hours out from their eagerly-anticipated super-featherweight bout.
Saying Warrington was in for a “tough night” was pretty much as far as IBF super-featherweight champion Cacace went. Warrington, too, was content to avoid pre-fight theatrics. “You’ll not get any screaming or shouting from me,” he said.
But don’t let the muted preamble fool you: this is a big fight for both men.
For Warrington, a two-time world featherweight champion stepping up to super-featherweight for the first time, it is a new chapter.
The Yorkshireman comes into Saturday’s contest bruised, his last two outings having ended in defeats by Luis Alberto Lopez and Leigh Wood.
While Warrington – in the throes of an intriguing reinvention – clearly has a point to prove, his big-fight experience is undeniable, his epic win over Carl Frampton in 2018 a regular reference point this week.
‘I don’t want to be a millionaire or superstar’
On the other hand, as Cacace said himself on Thursday, this is all new to him. He has been a world champion for four months.
For a long time – between injuries and last-minute fight cancellations – Cacace had good reason to believe he would never reach such heights. For years, his chosen craft stubbornly refused to yield the opportunities his talent warranted.
That all changed in May. His stunning upset win over Joe Cordina in Riyadh has altered his life.
And having waited so long, he is not taking his newfound success for granted. For him, nothing has changed. While Warrington can not take the IBF belt home on Saturday, Cacace can lose it.
The significance of such a scenario is not lost on the 35-year-old.
“I’ve got what I always wanted out of boxing but now I feel like I belong here,” said Cacace, who has won all but one of the 19 professional fights that have spanned his 12-year career.
“I need to do more in this game for my own legacy. I want to keep winning. Josh Warrington, he’s a very, very good fighter. I know I’m in for a hell of a fight, but I’ll do my best to get through it.”
On Thursday, Cacace was speaking just moments before Joshua – one of the most famous athletes on the planet – entered the room. Bringing a frantic troop of cameraman with him as he walked down the corridor, Joshua’s stardom is clear to see.
Cacace, though, is uninterested in such glamour.
“I’ve got three children at home. I’m a family man,” he said.
“I don’t want to be a millionaire or a superstar. I just want to provide a good life for my family. I feel like this fight’s going to buy me a house and that’s all I ever wanted.”
Thursday’s news conference was the latest engagement in what has been an intense week for the fighters.
“It’s been very demanding,” admits Cacace.
“But at the same it’s been very enjoyable. We’ve all had a bit of craic. I’m sure they’re (my team) not as happy because they’ve had to listen to me all week.
“I’ve tried to enjoy it as much as I can. I don’t feel any pressure at all.”
While Cacace appears to be taking it all in his stride, Warrington is keen to make up for lost time, admitting that he should have moved up to the super-featherweight division earlier in his career.
“I feel really strong, really good and I’ll show on Saturday night that I should have done this two years ago,” he said.
“The one thing I will guarantee you on Saturday night is action. I think that’s always the way I’ve done my business.
“I’m experienced in this game and I think I’ve dealt with every single style: tall, short, boxer, puncher. I’ve been in with big guys.”
