This was his last shot at glory at 35. And the fighter from Belfast didn’t disappoint. Anthony Cacace had the fight of his career when he showed up against Joe Cordina at the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury fight card. The stakes couldn’t have been higher with the IBF super featherweight straps on the line. But it was the challenger who rose to the occasion and left the arena with the titles.
While Cacace didn’t possess the one-punch of Cordina, he broke down the champion with every punch and shot thrown. He brought the fight to Cordina and left him with no option but to defend until the referee had to set in and raise Cacace’s hand. However, the fight wasn’t without controversial moments.
What happened in the fight between Joe Cordina and Anthony Cacace?
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Cacace employed jabs in the first rounds and put the peddle on the gas to secure the first round with his guard-piercing precise shots. But Cordina fought back in the second round as he assumed the aggressor’s role. The tide turned in the third round when Cacace had him on the ropes after setting him up with jabs and a body shot. While the referee tried to separate the two from a clinch, Cacace connected a clean hit on Cordina. The rules state that you can’t hit on a break, and with the referee’s discretion, a point could have been deducted from Cacace’s scores.
The controversial moment shifted the fight’s momentum, with Cacace ultimately finishing the job in round eight. But even that moment wasn’t without muted concerns, as the referee stopped the action while Cordina was still in motion. The champion didn’t protest the decision, as he wasn’t able to defend effectively. Meanwhile, the fans saw it otherwise.
How did the fans react to the upset at the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury card?
Massive upset 😳
— Umar Farouq (@UmarFarouqNews) May 18, 2024
What a performance sad that people will question it after the late shot tho
— Shaun (@ShaunLFC9) May 18, 2024
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the ref was awful. Cordina was completely controlling the fight up until that cheap shot.
— ross 🇾🇪 (@RxssV1) May 18, 2024
Cordina got done over!!
— Matt80 (@Matt_8888_) May 18, 2024
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What do you think of this fight between Joe Cordina and Anthony Cacace at the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury undercard? Do you believe the two need to run it back soon? Let us know in the comments below.