Retirement Talks Swirl After Leigh Wood Gets Brutally Stopped By Anthony Cacace in Super-featherweight Debut

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Anthony Cacace produced a stunning ninth-round stoppage of Leigh Wood on the road in Nottingham, successfully defending his IBO super-featherweight title and staking his claim as a major threat in the division.

The Naturally Bigger Man Powered His Way to Victory

Leigh Wood entered the Motorpoint Arena to a roaring reception and began the fight confidently behind a sharp jab. He looked to establish control early, but Cacace wasted no time landing crisp right hands that rocked Wood’s rhythm. The opening rounds were closely contested, with both fighters showing mutual respect and caution for one and others power.

In the second round, Wood was caught clean by a right hand that forced him to reassess his approach. Although he landed his best punch at the end of the round, a solid right that drew a nod from Cacace, the Belfast man was starting to find his groove.

By the third round, Cacace had made the first significant dent in Wood’s defences, landing a trademark uppercut and briefly switching to southpaw to deliver a powerful left. While Wood responded with a sharp counter late in the round, Cacace’s superior timing and variety were beginning to show, as well as being the naturally bigger man.

The sixth round proved pivotal as Cacace began putting his punches together, repeatedly connecting with clean uppercuts. Even when switching stances, Cacace remained dangerous, although he was briefly tagged in the seventh.

Despite suffering a bloody nose in the eighth, Cacace delivered a solid left hook at close range that set the tone for a brutal exchange. As Wood tried to rally and push the pace, he left himself open and Cacace capitalised with a crushing right hand that sent Wood stumbling back into the ropes.

Referee Steve Latham issued a count as the ropes prevented Wood from going down, but the end was near. Cacace smelled blood and poured on the pressure with a relentless onslaught. Wood’s corner, led by trainer Ben Davison, threw in the towel to stop the fight and prevent further damage.

Leigh Wood’s Trainer on Throwing in the Towel

Naturally, boxing fans like to argue whether or not it’s the correct decision for a ref or a corner to stop a fight. Davison later explained his decision to halt the contest:

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“It’s more instinct. You haven’t got a lot of time to sit there and think. You take into consideration in a short space of time – Leigh’s age, where he’s at in his career, how the fight is going and who’s the man in front of him.”

With this emphatic victory, Cacace retained his IBO super-featherweight title and was promised a homecoming fight in Belfast by promoter Frank Warren. The performance cemented Cacace’s reputation as one of the most dangerous fighters in the division, and despite only having nine knockouts on his record, fighters are fully aware of his thudding power.

What’s Next For Nottingham’s Leigh Wood?

At 36 years old, Wood has not ruled out retirement but will take time to evaluate his future. Following the loss, Leigh Wood addressed fans with a heartfelt message on social media:

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If this is truly the last we see of Leigh Wood then it’s an unfortunate way to hang up the gloves; being stopped in front of your home fans. Nevertheless, he’s put on some unbelievable nights for British boxing fans, namely the fight of the year brawl with Michael Conlan back in 2022, the two fights with Mauricio Lara in 2023 as well as the epic victory over Josh Warrington in the same year.

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