Anthony Kakasi is reportedly expected to vacate his IBF super featherweight title to fight Lee Wood. The IBF belt will become vacant with #1 Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez (27-1, 27 KOs) and #3 Masanori Rikiish (16-1, 11 KOs) fighting for it.
It makes sense for the 35-year-old Cacace (23-1, 8 KOs) to retire the IBF title to fight former two-time WBA light heavyweight champion Lee Wood (28-3, 17 KOs) as it’s a fight that will pay off well for Antonia.
Nunez’s time to shine?
Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez has looked impressive, knocking out his last 17 opponents since suffering the lone loss of his career to Hiram Gallardo via six-round unanimous decision in June 20018. In Nunez’s last four fights, he has knocked out Miguel Escandon, Oscar, Oscar. Jesus Martin Ceica and Willmank Canonico Brito.
It’s hard to know how good eight-year pro Rikiish, 30, is because he’s fought largely unknown opposition his entire career in his native Japan. He lost once as a pro, but fought under the radar against opposition most fans had never heard of. That’s not a good sign.
Little chance of success
13-year-old professional Cacace’s chances of success against ‘Sugar’ Nunez would be minimal due to the strength, youth and aggressiveness of the Mexican fighter. It wouldn’t be a big payday for Cacace against Nunez, and the outcome would probably be bad for him.
Last year, Cacace defeated IBF 130-pound champion Joe Cordina, destroying him in eight rounds on May 18 in Riyadh. The fight wasn’t even close, as Cacace was too fast and too busy for Cordina, who was exhausted from the contest. Cacace dropped Cordina in the third round and never seemed to recover from it.
In Cacace’s last fight, he defeated former featherweight champion Josh Warrington via a 12-round unanimous decision on September 21 in the Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois undercard at Wembley Stadium in London.
I watched the fight and it looked like Cacace took Warrington easy, staying in second gear throughout the contest and not giving him the same rough treatment he gave Cordina in his previous fight. If it was a game, it was a kind gesture on Cacace’s part as Warrington looked completely smitten. He would have folded like a cheap suit if Cacace had chased him like Korda all night.
“With Anthony Cacace expected to vacate his IBF belt to fight former champion Leigh Wood, the super-bantamweight belt will be decided by a clash between top-ranked Eduardo Nunez and Japan’s no. 3 Masanori Rikiishi, I’m told,” said Lance Pugmire Ks.