AT 36, Leigh Wood is a boxing veteran, weathered by 31 fights over 14 years as a pro. The Nottingham man has endured battles that could age a fighter overnight: the edge-of-your-seat spectacle that saw Michael Conlan hurled through the ropes, the punishment absorbed from Mexican mauler Mauricio Lara, and the relentless intensity of Josh Warrington’s work rate. The kind of fights that have you checking the mirror for lumps, bumps and a few grey hairs.
Yet inactivity might be the bigger foe as Wood, the underdog, prepares to face Belfast’s Anthony ‘Apache’ Cacace, 23-1 (8 KOs), in tomorrow night’s main event at Nottingham Arena. Cacace, also 36, has seven fewer fights under his belt and hasn’t faced the same rollercoaster bouts where momentum swings faster than a well-timed uppercut. At this stage, both men are closer to a midlife crisis than their mid-20s, but they remain the best super-featherweights the British Isles have to offer.
Wood, 28-3 (17 KOs), and his team will insist that 17 months out of the ring hasn’t dulled his edge. Wood has continually worked away in the gym with trainer Ben Davison. Iron sharpens iron while waiting for the call, we’re often told.
But Wood would’ve preferred a fight or two since his belter against Warrington in Sheffield. Parting ways with promoter Matchroom left ‘Leigh-thal’ on the shelf, his stock intact but his fists frustratingly idle. Deals fell through, and Wood’s been twiddling his gloves instead of throwing them.
Meanwhile, Cacace is riding a wave of hard-earned success, having navigated his own spells of inactivity. A gritty win over the underrated Sam Bowen in 2019 marked a turning point, but it was followed by a 22-month hiatus.
Cacace told me at the time that losing to Bowen would’ve seen him hang up the gloves for good. His British super-featherweight title, won at the second attempt, was a lifeline. But even that victory was nearly derailed by horrific dental issues. Teeth pulled, infections raging, and a lifelong distrust of dentists cemented.
Since August 2021, Cacace’s career has soared to different heights but not as speedily as he would have liked. A successful title defence against Leon Woodstock was a welcome return but it would be another three years until he challenged for his first world title. His upset win over Joe Cordina, earned him the IBF super-featherweight crown.
He followed it by outclassing Josh Warrington, a two-fight blitz between May and September 2024 that announced his arrival on the world stage at 130lbs. Cacace is now where Wood was after victories over Can Xu and Conlan until Lara’s rock em’ sock em’ fists derailed the momentum. Wood avenged that loss, then delivered a seventh-round stoppage in a classic British barnburner against Warrington.
Both fighters may be nearer 40 than 30, but they’re still the cream of the crop at super-featherweight. Younger talent is coming, but by the time they make waves, Cacace and Wood will likely be sipping a pint, reflecting on their bruises.
Saturday’s clash has many predicting a Fight of the Year contender. On paper, it’s a pick ’em: both can box, both can bang, but Cacace edges out in finesse while Wood’s power could make chins quiver.
Echoing commentator Mike Costello’s words from Wood’s clash with Warrington, this is a battle of “two working-class heroes from sports-mad cities.” Wood faces his first southpaw since Conlan, a night when two looping lefts caught him napping in round one.
The second dropped him, saved only by the bell. Cacace isn’t as fluid and loose as Conlan nor as relentless as Warrington, but he’s a sharp counter-puncher. Against Warrington, he neutralised attacks to kill momentum, a tactic he might repeat here.
Physically, Cacace may not tower over Wood as he did Warrington, but he’ll still have a slight size edge. His right hand, thrown with deceptive speed, could spell trouble. Wood, meanwhile, loves a jab to gauge distance, setting up a venomous backhand. His stabbing jab to the body is another handy tool. But if Cacace’s right lands, expect a flurry of lefts, uppercuts, in attempts to assert dominance.
Wood risks being caught in two minds, unsure whether to press or protect. Cacace’s versatility – damaging from distance or up close – could wear Wood down late. While Wood’s punches thud and thump, Cacace’s accumulate, chipping away, causing wear and tear.
Momentum is key, and Wood, notorious for slow starts, can’t afford to dawdle. Cacace thrives as a front-runner, his confidence dictating terms. Any Wood slip-up will be pounced on.
Anthony Cacace vs. Leigh Wood Fight Prediction
Cacace can notch a hat-trick of statement wins, further burnishing his record. The rounds will be fiercely contested, but Cacace’s range work should nick most of them. Wood’s jab offers hope, but his defence must be watertight. If Cacace controls the tempo, he’ll outpoint Wood in a fight with bursts of action.
