World champion Anthony Cacace ‘all the belts’ aim on Belfast return

Belfast's Anthony Cacace was a popular figure at George Best Belfast City Airport yesterday after returning home to Northern Ireland as IBF super-featherweight world champion following victory in Saudi Arabia on Saturday over Joe Cordina. (Photo by Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye)

The 35-year-old defeated Joe Cordina in a shock stoppage during the weekend Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk undercard.

Stars from the world of football such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Steven Gerrard were watching from the sidelines on the high-profile night in Riyadh.

And his return home from that career-changing Saudi Arabia success was met by fans happy to wish Cacace all the best in the future – with his own thoughts turning to continued progress.

“It's just amazing, I mean I'm the IBF champion...there's not many people that can say that, Carl Frampton was the same champion (at super-bantamweight),” he told BBC Sport NI. "I'm the first Irish super-featherweight champion ever to win a world title.”

He added on his next target: "I want to have all the belts...if I can win this one (IBF) I can win them all.

"I genuinely believe, I believe in myself a lot more now than what I did going over there.

"I went over and showed my potential, even at 35 years of age - and beat a great champion."

Weekend success for Cacace, who has held the world IBO super-featherweight belt since 2022, proved against expectations for many within the sport.

"It makes it even more special to be honest (at 35 years old) because I was starting to doubt myself and didn't think I was going to get these opportunities,” he said. "I was thrown in at the deep end there, I was expected to go over there and get beat up and get stopped myself...I done that to him.

"I'm super proud. Before I went out I was looking at pictures of the children, saying my prayers and everything else and that gave me the drive...I promised myself the only way I was coming out of that ring was asleep knocked out or else with these belts.”

On Saturday Cacace highlighted his desire to return to Saudi Arabia when he told broadcasters: "From here on in I want to be boxing in Saudi Arabia every time, no more back in the UK. Saudi Arabia is the place."