British title-hungry Anto Cacace – “My time is coming”

Patience is a virtue BBBoC Celtic champion Anthony Cacace [14(7)-0] has been forced into having.

The Belfast super featherweight’s career has been more stop-start than a football match with a whistle-happy referee, and false dawns aplenty have left him frustrated.

The whistle seemed to have been taken off the ref this year as a clear path to a British title shot in early 2017 was laid out, even promised.

However, in circumstances that would test the patience of a saint, the waters were muddied again. The former Irish champion will have to watch as a fighter he knocked out, Ronnie Clark, challenges champion Martin J Ward in what is a voluntary defence for the domestic crown live in London on Sky Sports later this month. Even then, the winner will have to face mandatory challenger Maxi Hughes, pushing Cacace further down the pecking order.

It’s far from ideal for the Andersonstown man and, considering the Pat Magee-promoted fighter has had similar frustrations in the past, it would seem to be a testing sequence of events. However, Cacace remains laid back and relaxed in the knowledge his time will come.

Indeed he has tried to look at the positives: it gives him more time to bond with his new trainer – former European champion Brian Magee, as well as giving him the chance to bank some rounds after nearly a year out of the ring.

“Waiting for a shot at the British title is a bit frustrating but I’m confident my time is coming. I am training hard toward that,” Cacace told Irish-Boxing.com.

Plus the delay has given me time to get fights under my belt. The board know I am ready and waiting. Ronnie Clark and Martin J Ward will be a great fight. My old foe Ronnie is a seriously tough fighter and is in great shape. Whoever wins knows I am waiting on the other side.”

Cacace – who fights Leonel Hernandez [10(1)-15(5)-2] this Saturday in Manchester on the same show that stablemate Tommy McCarthy takes on Matty Askins in a cruiserweight British title final eliminator – has traded working alongside Shane McGuigan and the likes of Carl Frampton for a Belfast base with Brian Magee, and and claims he is enjoying his time with Magee and along his long time friend McCarthy.

“I love being back in Belfast. There is a massive buzz in Belfast boxing these days.”

“Training with Brian Magee is excellent. He brings world champion experience. Big Tommy Mac is in great shape for his fight. I grew up with Tommy, so training alongside him everyday is a dream.”