ANTO Cacace won’t challenge IBF super-featherweight champion Joe Cordina. It is understood that IBO champion Cacace was hopeful that he would face the Welshman in Cardiff on September 30 but terms could not be agreed and Cordina is expected to fight in Monaco, France in November.
Back to the drawing board for Cacace.
Elsewhere, it is understood that Tommy McCarthy has resumed training and could return to the ring next month. McCarthy hasn’t fought since September last year when he out-pointed Reinis Porozovs at the Europa Hotel.
The Belfast cruiserweight has dipped his toe in the stand-up comedy circuit and, alongside fellow pro boxer Tyrone McKenna, is one half of the popular ‘Whiskey and White’ podcast.
Conor Quinn will be fighting for two belts when he takes on Scotland’s Chris Liddell at the Girdwood Community Hub on Saturday, October 14.
Quinn and Liddell were scheduled to fight for the vacant Commonwealth ‘Silver’ flyweight title and now the Celtic flyweight belt has been added to the pot meaning the winner should be in prime position to challenge for the British title which is currently held by Jay Harris.
KRISTINA O’Hara told Frank Warren she was destined to be a “multi-weight world champion” before she signed with Queensbury Promotions.
The Belfast minimumweight is 3-0 but has found fights hard to come by since she turned pro in November 2021 now with vastly-experienced Warren behind her, the Commonwealth Games silver medallist intends to kick on with her career and follow in the footsteps of Queensbury-promoted world champions like Nicola Adams who became WBO world champion after five fights.
“This is something I have been working towards my whole life,” said O’Hara.
“I always knew, somewhere along the line, if I was patient and persistent that I would eventually break through.
“I have to be thankful as well to the people around me. Susannah Schofield, my last promoter, got me the three fights to get my name out there.
“It was two weeks ago when we made the trip over to sit down with Frank and talk possibilities. I told him I am destined to become a multi-weight world champion and I think he can help me get there.”
O’Hara accumulated 14 Irish titles and her amateur experience reached a peak at the Commonwealth Games and Frank Warren is convinced he is backing a natural born winner with his newest recruit.
“The city of Belfast will have a new world champion in the very near future,” said the Londoner.
“We met with Kristina and, with her ambition and total conviction in her own ability, I didn’t need any persuading when it came to providing her with the backing of Queensberry.
“Kristina is a gem of a person and clearly a champion in the making when it comes to boxing and we will guide her to the top and build her profile as we go along.
“I am so looking forward to getting this journey started and I am certain that, in Raven Chapman and now Kristina, we will soon have two female world champions on our books.”
ANTHONY Joshua got the job done against late replacement Robert Helenius on Saturday night and remains on course for a clash with Deontay Wilder – and then Tyson Fury.
There were boos and jeers from the impatient crowd at London's O2 Arena as Joshua claimed the 26th victory of his professional career with a first knock-out in three years.
His performance was laboured in parts but all’s well that ends well for the British heavyweight who produced a thunderous right hand to force a seventh-round stoppage against Helenius and stay on track for a future bout with Wilder.
While Joshua was coy over what next, promotor Eddie Hearn revealed plans to fight Wilder next and current world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury later in 2024.
Hearn said: "It is the fight we want. We have a three-fight plan.
"It was Helenius, first Dillian Whyte and then Helenius, and now Wilder and then Tyson Fury. That is the ambition."
Meanwhile, Joshua responded to his critics during a short interview in the ring.
"I just want to give a big round of applause for Robert Helenius for taking this fight," Joshua started off.
"People need to leave me alone. This is my time in the ring. Let me breath. The guy has got talent, I had to figure him out because he was a late replacement and I want to thank him for saving the show.
"I don't want to say too much. But my back hurts from carrying the heavyweight division."
Joshua had been set to face Dillian Whyte until his rival had to be pulled from the show last weekend when "adverse analytical findings" were detected in his doping test.
Helenius stepped in as a last-minute opponent, but the pre-match focus was on what next for Joshua with talks taking place with Wilder's camp over a fight in the new year.
It would only happen if Joshua could navigate the Finnish veteran and a slow start to proceedings in London saw whistles followed by boos in round three and further jeers occurred at the end of round six.
Joshua was able to provide the crowd with a speculator finish, unleashing a huge right hand to knock Helenius off his feet after one minute and 27 seconds of round seven.
A REMATCH could be on the cards after Emanuel Navarrete took a unanimous decision win in his Mexican war against Oscar Valdez in Arizona on Saturday.
Navarrete defended his WBO junior lightweight world title in a back-and-forth slugfest against former Michael Conlan stablemate Valdez in front of 10,246 fans at Glendale.
Navarrete’s reach and punch output were difficult puzzles for Valdez to solve. The 32-year-old from Nogales tried to find openings for counterpunches from his high guard stance, using his head and feet to avoid Navarrete’s sudden bursts.
But as the rounds progressed, Navarrete’s power began to sway the fight his way and he won on all three cards. Afterwards he said he was happy to play a part in the “next great chapter of Mexican boxing history”.
“I appreciate Oscar for the great fight that we delivered,” he said.
“There was some inflammation in my right hand and the more I used it, the more it hurt. But I had to overcome it.
“I think the people can best talk about what they saw. They saw the fight tonight; I was here fighting with Valdez. Thank God, I won. I appreciate what he did in the ring, he is a Mexican warrior. If the people want a rematch, they will demand it.”
Valdez said: “He is a warrior. I tried my best. We gave it our best. He is a warrior. He is a true champion. I’m sorry I disappointed everyone. I feel terrible. I wanted to give you all a great fight. I hope you enjoyed the fight. I hope to return strong.”
