Josh Warrington is not concerned he can’t become a two-weight world champion on Saturday night – because he believes his Anto Cacace clash will still be a thriller.
The Leeds man won’t get the opportunity to take the IBF super-featherweight title from the Irishman in the ring after he wasn’t approved as a worthy challenger. Cacace, 35, was made aware of that about eight weeks ago after Warrington, 33, didn’t get a warm-up fight in to get a win under his belt as he’s without a victory since 2022.
But Warrington isn’t getting wound up about it as he still plans to put on a show on the Wembley undercard on Saturday night. He said: “Look, it’s disappointing. We hoped it would be for the IBF title, I’ve got history with the IBF and won their title twice. Nothing changes in terms of mindset. I’m still going in there to win.
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“I’m annoyed of course. I’ve had six or so fights with the IBF and paid a lot of sanctioning fights.” But Warrington insists the bout – on the undercard of Daniel Dubois against Anthony Joshua – can still be one to remember.
He cited Arturo Gatti’s famous trilogy with Micky Ward as bouts that went down in history without major titles on the line. The Leeds warrior – who twice won the featherweight title – said: “You have to look at different fights over the years.
“Arturo Gatti against Ward, wasn’t for a world title. It’s one of the big fights we remember as classics. My focus has not changed. The fight is still on. It’s just the IBF are not involved. That’s all it is.”
Cacace will be announced as the IBF super-featherweight champion – as well as the lesser regarded IBO – in the ring. The Belfast fighter can still lose the title if he fails to beat Warrington but the Leeds man won’t win the belt.
Warrington will be handed a shot at the vacant title if he wins, most likely against mandatory challenger Sugar Nunez.
Also on the undercard, Joshua Buatsi and Willy Hutchinson will fight for a world light-heavyweight title shot, Josh Kelly takes on late replacement Ishmael Davis in a middleweight duel, Tyler Denny defends his European middleweight title against Hamzah Sheeraz and rising lightweight star Mark Chamberlain faces Josh Padley.