Anthony Cacace takes on former featherweight titlist Leigh Wood in a junior lightweight scrap on Saturday in the Nottingham Arena that Frank Warren is “certain” will be fight of the year. That's not exactly a surprising proclamation from the promoter of a contest between two 36-year-olds unwilling to engage in a pre-fight war of words.

Belfast's Cacace, 23-1 (8 KOs), has enjoyed a dramatic upturn in fortune, specifically since he upset Joe Cordina to claim the IBF 130lbs title in May last year. That title was relinquished when he was ordered to defend against Ricardo Nunez, rightly believing that a bout with Nottingham's Wood, in September 2024, would have been significantly more marketable. Wood was forced to withdraw, however, leaving Cacace to outpoint Josh Warrington on the Wembley Stadium Daniel Dubois-Anthony Joshua undercard.

“This is my second two-time world champion [I’m fighting] in a row,” Cacace said at Thursday’s final media conference. “If you’d have looked at my life two years ago, you’d never have believed this was happening.

“Leigh Wood sells a lot of tickets in Nottingham, it makes sense [to stage it here], and it’s something new for me… I genuinely don't give a flying fuck about the crowd. If they bring him on, great, but I don’t need any of that. It’s going to be a great scrap.

“He’s 100 per cent a puncher,” Cacace continued before making the lone threat of the day. “Can he box? Or is all he’s got the punch? I don’t know. What I do know is that I’m going to be the hardest he’s been hit by anyone.”

Wood, 28-3 (17 KOs), has struggled with injuries and hasn’t boxed since 2023 when he knocked out Warrington in seven rounds down at featherweight. The momentum would therefore appear to be with his opponent.

“The layoff won’t affect me one bit,” Wood countered. “I’ve been out of the ring, not out of the gym. If I’ve got an injured arm, I’ll use the other one. I’ve turned up to the gym limping; I’ve been dedicated to my craft for 20 years and I will be until the day I retire.”

Wood’s battle with the scales were oft-document in the past but the move up in weight for this bout hasn’t eased the work he’s had to put in to ensure he makes 130lbs.

“People are talking like I’ve moved up to middleweight,” Wood chuckled. “It was so hard to make featherweight. So, yes, I’ve moved up but I’ve only got an extra four pounds. I still have to come down a long way.”