Pat Magee upbeat over Cacace title delay – “The path is still there and it’s pretty clear”

Anto Cacace’s manager Pat Magee has moved to defuse the drama and accentuate the positives in regard to the super featherweight British title situation.

The BBBoC Celtic champion and his team felt the fighter was the mandatory challenger for Martin Joseph Ward’s 130lbs British crown and the initial plan for ‘The Apache’ was to step aside to allow Ward [15(8)-0-2] a voluntary defence of the belt against Maxi Hughes, who had stepped aside to allow the Ward v Andy Townend title fight in September, before Christmas and then have the winner face Cacace [14(7)-0] by March.

However the British Boxing Board of Control this week made Hughes [16(2)-2(1)-2] the mandatory challenger and put the fight out to purse bids, with a deadline of December 14th and the fight to take place by the end of March next year, while Ward will defend against the Mark Dunlop-promoted Ronnie Clark in a voluntary defence London next week.

The news was a disappointment for Cacace fans, who believe not only has Cacace earned his shot, but claim he is the best of the domestic level super featherweights. There is a sense the Belfast 27 year old has yet to be afforded the chance to show what he can do.

Further career delays and frustrations were seen as a big negative, but Magee is adamant that this certainly isn’t the case.

Indeed, the promoter and manager who brings Tommy McCarthy to England this weekend to compete in a British cruiserweight title final eliminator with Matty Askins, claims things have fallen perfectly for Cacace.

“I think there has been a bit of a negative feel to reports on the situation and that certainly isn’t the case,” Magee told Irish-Boxing.com.

“Anthony has boxed one round in 12 months and his wife has just had a baby. So we get to get him fights, he can get another camp in and he gets to spend time with his family at Christmas. Nobody likes to train over Christmas. The path is still there and it’s pretty clear. Ward defends against Clark the winner faces Maxi Hughes – and within 90 days at a maximum Anthony get’s his shot.

“Hopefully we can get that bout in Belfast it would be great to have Anthony win the belt at home. We will push for Belfast and if we can’t agree with the camp of the champion at the time it has to go to purse bids. That’s fine.”

While the former Irish Champion has had to be patient regarding the British title shot, once he straps the belt around his waist Magee thinks his charge will move very quickly.

“Hopefully the fight will happen around April then maybe we can go again in June and then your looking at a fight in September. Once he has that belt there will be nothing holding him back. Honestly we would be happy to put Anthony in with anyone in Europe at the minute. He can progress toward European level and then you look at the World scene. Super featherweight is a great division and once he claims the title he can motor on.”

Magee, who hopes to have two British champions by early 2017, has big Cacace plans and can even see a situation were the Belfast man takes on recent IBF World title challenger Stephen Smith [24(14)-3(1)] by the end of 2017.

“I hope Smith fights on because that would be a fight we would like at the end of 2017. Why not?” Anthony has a good fight this weekend against an opponent who brought recent European champion Juli Giner six rounds, but we expect to win and we won’t be holding him back. The future is very bright.”