Cacace happy for Wood to have hometown advantage

Anthony Cacace beat Josh Warrington at Wembley Stadium in September

IBO super-featherweight title holder Anthony Cacace does not believe the crowd will be a factor in his bout with Leigh Wood at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena on Saturday.

The Belfast native will be getting into the ring for the first time since earning a unanimous decision against Josh Warrington at Wembley Stadium in September.

The 36-year-old vacated his IBF super-featherweight title before taking the fight against Wood and, although he said he could have pushed for it to be staged in Belfast, was happy to take on the former two-time world champion in his own home city.

"I'm sure Leigh would have travelled to Belfast but I decided to come to Nottingham, Leigh sells a lot of tickets and it's something new for me," Cacace said.

"I don't need anybody to bring me on, I have it in my heart and the desire in myself.

"I'm going to win the fight in Nottingham in front of his home crowd and I'm going to go home."

The pre-fight press conference was marked by repeated talk of the respect between the two fighters with Wood saying he would "feel bad" beating his opponent.

Cacace said he had previously taken inspiration from watching Wood's fights and was looking forward to sharing the ring with another two-time world champion after previous wins over Warrington and Joe Cordina.

"If you were to look at my life two years ago I was nowhere and now I'm fighting these calibre of fighters," he said.

"When I wasn't really doing much or getting many opportunities, I was watching him fight, and he's the 'Cinderella Man' of Nottingham, so I would love to come here and do the business."

Wood is returning to the ring after a 19-month lay-off caused by some niggling injuries, a change of promoter, and struggles to find a date at his preferred venue, Nottingham Forest's City Ground.

The 36-year-old is moving up from featherweight - both fighters weighed in at 129.8lbs - but, while Cacace predicted a "great scrap", he backed his own punching power to be the difference on the night.

"I've fought big punchers, I've been hit by hard men," he added.

"But can he box? What can he do? Is all he got a punch? I don't know, we're going to have to find out on Saturday night.

"I'm 100% going to be the hardest to hit Leigh."