Cacace claims unanimous decision win over Warrington

IBF super-featherweight champion Anthony Cacace's dream 2024 continued as he claimed a unanimous decision win over Josh Warrington in an absorbing contest at Wembley Stadium.

On Monday, the IBF confirmed the Northern Irishman's world title would not be on the line because the sanctioning body did not recognise Warrington as a challenger due to his inactivity in the super-featherweight division.

Cacace's belt would have been vacated had he lost but the Belfast-born fighter overcame a shaky start to beat the English two-time world featherweight champion and ensure he left Wembley with his reign intact.

The 35-year-old Cacace can now look forward to putting his title on the line against mandatory challenger Eduardo Nunez, while Warrington looked to signal his intent to retire.

After his third defeat in a row, the 33-year-old laid down his gloves in the centre of the ring before posing for photos.

When Warrington beat Carl Frampton - another Belfast fighter and Cacace's long-time friend - in December 2018, he lit up the Manchester Arena with a relentless, front-footed display which left his rival in deep trouble from the outset.

And while he again started off in impressive fashion here, landing a telling right uppercut in the second round, it wasn't long before Cacace took control of the fight.

Four months ago when Cacace won the world title against Joe Cordina in Saudi Arabia, he went chasing the knockout from the first round. But here, he took his time to figure out Warrington before coming alive in the fourth round, hurting the Yorkshireman with a thunderous right hook, having already connected with a flurry of body shots.

Sensing a fading challenge from Warrington, Cacace again hurt his opponent with a strong left hook to the nose in the fifth.

From there, Warrington showed moments of the work-rate and resilience that have underpinned his decorated career, but in Cacace he found a sizeable super-featherweight whose punching power and ringcraft left the Leeds fighter with a mountain to climb in the closing rounds.

Knowing he needed something special in the final round, the risk-taking Warrington came flying out of his corner, but Cacace managed to keep his gallant efforts at a safe distance and the judges scored it 118-110, 117-111, 117-111 in the Belfast man's favour.

While a bout with Mexican Nunez looms for Cacace, Warrington's career could be over after failing to end his losing streak having stepped up from featherweight.