Ex-world champ on Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois card cruelly denied title shot just days before Wembley showdown

THE IBF super-featherweight title WON’T BE up for grabs on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s showdown with Daniel Dubois.

Champ Anthony Cacace was set to defend his newly acquired red strap against former featherweight king Josh Warrington in front of a sold-out crowd at Wembley on Saturday night.

PA

Josh Warrington was set to challenge Anthony Cacace for the IBF super-featherweight title on the Joshua vs Dubois undercard[/caption]

RICHARD PELHAM

REUTERS

Northern Irishman Cacace will vacate the belt should he come up short at Wembley[/caption]

But the American sanctioning body has opted NOT to sanction the title bout due to Warrington’s inactivity in the 135lbs division and the loss of his last fight to Leigh Wood.

Cacace’s IBO strap will now be the only belt up for grabs when he trades blows with 35-year-old Warrington.

But the Northern Irishman will be forced to vacate his IBF crown should he come up short at the home of English football.

Cacace – who won the IBF belt with an eighth-round TKO of Joe Cordina in May – told The BBC: “It’s for the IBO world title. The IBF isn’t on the line.

“You would need to talk to Frank [Warren, Cacace’s promoter] and everybody else behind the scenes about that. I wanted it on the line.

“I’ve known for weeks. It’s not one bit of bother to me, but at the same time I don’t really understand what the hell is going on.”

In an interview with The Stomping Ground, promoter Eddie Hearn said of the IBF’s decision not to sanction the fight: “I get it.

“I think the problem with the IBF is they follow their rules but they don’t allow any common sense.

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“The rules state you can’t be coming off a loss, generally. But everything is at the discretion of the IBF.

“He was fighting the No.1 featherweight in the world in Leigh Wood [and] he was winning the fight and he got stopped.

“For me, it should be an automatic challenge for the world title.

“And with all due respect to Cacace, he’s not what Josh Warrington’s done in his career.

“The IBO title is on the line, we understand that’s not one of the big four [belts] but he is the world champion.

“And if you win the fight, it’s a massive fight, and you really, in my eyes, are [the] world champion.”

When asked if the IBF’s decision bothers him, Warrington said: “Not whatsoever.

“Because at the end of the day, because as Ed said there, you know, four belts, five belts, six belts.

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Josh Warrington isn’t fussed about not fighting for the IBF strap[/caption]

“Ultimately, belts are nice. They go on your mantle piece. But it’s the fights that people remember.

“You can have eight, nine, ten or 12 title defences but people will look back and say, ‘Who did you box?’

“I want people to say, ‘You know what? He’s had some great fight.’ Yeah, I’ve won the world title.

“Once you’ve won it, you’ve joined that club.

“You’ve joined the world club unless you become unified, which a very, very select few [do].

“But I’d rather have the names on my belt.”