Archive May 10, 2025

Belfast’s Anthony Cacace retained his IBO super-featherweight title with a ninth-round stoppage of Leigh Wood at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on Saturday.

It was a gripping battle between the two 36-year-olds, which appeared on a knife-edge until Cacace made the big breakthrough and he was in no mood to let the home favourite off the hook.

Wood is noted for his powers of recovery, highlighted by his remarkable come-from-behind victory over Michael Conlan three years ago in the same venue.

But this time it was beyond him with Cacace ruthlessly closing the show as Wood’s corner threw in the towel just as it seemed referee John Latham was about to wave it off.

Wood began confidently off the jab as he sought to assert himself, but was snapped back on a couple of occasions from Cacace’s right hands and again towards the end of the opener as there was a sense both men could land something decisive.

Neither could afford to get reckless as there was clear respect between the pair, but Wood walked into a right hand in the second round which made him think twice.

But he did get his best shot off in the dying seconds as he found a home for his own right hand which brought a respectful nod from Cacace.

They landed simultaneously in the third before Cacace appeared to make the first bit of a dent as he got through with one of his trademark uppercuts. After briefly switching to southpaw, he thumped home a left hand which seemed to drive Wood back, but was caught late in the round when missing the target and punished by a counter.

There was an air of tension as the fight proceeded, although Wood enjoyed a good fourth round as he found his range.

It remained on a knife-edge in the fifth with Cacace’s stiff jab rocking Wood’s head back, but the Nottingham man responded well to have his own success.

Early in the eighth, Cacace suffered a setback with blood beginning to pour from his nose, but Wood was made to eat a solid left up close as they began to trade blows late on.

The Englishman sought a fast start to the ninth round but it proved his undoing.

Perhaps getting a little too excited, he left himself exposed and Cacace pounced and a strong right hand appeared to have a delayed impact as Wood stumbled backwards and, with the ropes keeping him up, referee Latham gave a count.

Cacace didn’t let him off the hook as he meticulously broke Wood’s resistance, thudding home some punishing shots and the towel came in from his corner to save him from an inevitable KO.

Earlier, Lisburn’s Kurt Walker tasted defeat for the first time as he was outpointed by Liam Davies in their battle for the vacant IBF International featherweight title.

The scorecards read 117-111, 115-113 and 116-112 in favour of Englishman Davies on his return to action after his own maiden defeat on points by Shabaz Masoud last November at super-bantamweight.

Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott suffered a fractured jaw from what manager Andoni Iraola described as a “very violent” elbow by Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings.

The 21-year-old midfielder went down in the sixth minute after being caught by Mings’ right elbow in Saturday’s Premier League defeat at Vitality Stadium.

Scott required lengthy treatment but continued to play, before going to ground again holding his face after an incident involving Amadou Onana, and was subsequently replaced at half-time.

Aston Villa were reduced to 10 men with 10 minutes to play when Jacob Ramsey was shown a second yellow card, but Mings did not receive a caution, to Iraola’s dismay.

“The second yellow that Ramsey received is not a second yellow,” the Spaniard told BBC Sport. “Tyrone Mings knows what he is doing, he knew where Alex was. It was very violent.

“The value of a red card in the sixth minute or the 80th minute is very different. He sees Alex coming and for me it is very dangerous.

BBC Match of the Day pundits discussed the incident and former Wales defender Ashley Williams said: “I don’t think he means it. But only Tyrone Mings knows.

“I think it is the height difference in this. Mings does have a little look to see where the pressure is coming from and puts his arm out to protect the ball. It’s a nasty collision.”

Derry’s Paul Hughes got back in the win column with an explosive 42-second knockout victory over Bruno Miranda in Belfast.

Hughes soaked up an electric atmosphere inside the SSE Arena before producing a performance that matched it.

The 28-year-old lightweight, who dropped Miranda with a huge left hand, said: “I wish it went on a little longer, I know people wanted to see a scrap, but what do you do? I just hit too hard.

“I made my professional debut in this arena over eight years ago and every single time I drove past it I said I am going to fight there [again] and my dream came true.

“We’re a small country but we’re dong big things on the world stage. I hope I represent you all well, because I am going to the top.”

Fighting on home soil for the first time since 2019, Hughes might have felt the weight of a nation on his shoulders.

After a narrow defeat by former Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov in January, Hughes needed a big performance on home soil to stake his claim for a rematch.

But there was zero sign of nerves from Hughes, who wore a broad smile from the moment he emerged from backstage.

Hughes appeared alongside local musician Foy Vance, who sang a live version of the Dubliners ‘Grace’.

The crowd sang the lyrics back to Hughes after relentlessly booing Miranda a few moments before.

Hughes entered the cage to ‘Oles’ nd there was no time for even a slight lull in atmosphere as Hughes took advantage of a lazy kick from Miranda by catching it and delivering his knockout blow.

As Miranda collapsed and Hughes unloaded, the referee stepped in to stop the contest.

“Usman Nurmagomedov, you can run and you can try delay this rematch as long as you want, but your day is coming,” Hughes said in the aftermath.

In the co-main event, Englishman Lewis McGrillen upset local fighter Alan Philpott by submitting the Antrim man in two rounds.

Manchester’s McGrillen, fighting for the first time since winning the 2024 PFL Europe bantamweight tournament, produced a dominant performance to see off 32-year-old Philpott.

He capped the fight off with a rear-naked choke, to secure the first submission victory of his career.

McGrillen, 24, improved to 11 wins and one loss and had a simple message after his latest victory.

Donegal legend Michael Murphy admitted he did not believe he would win another Ulster title with his county after returning to the panel this year.

Murphy played his part with a few scores as Donegal retained the Anglo-Celt Cup with a 2-23 to 0-28 victory against Armagh after extra time in Clones.

The 35-year-old has now won six provincial deciders with Donegal, but the thought of playing a part in a victory like this was a pipe dream a year ago after retiring in 2022.

He worked as a pundit for BBC Sport NI during last year’s final which Donegal won on penalties, but was delighted to be able to contribute this year after returning to the fold.

“I didn’t think it would happen again,” he told BBC Sport NI.

“It happened last year; I was a Donegal man supporting these boys last year and I was happy to watch them here last year.

“Today was a really tough game, nothing but respect for Armagh they are the All-Ireland champions and they’re a good side, but credit to these young lads and their character, it’s an hour to share a pitch and a dressing room with them again, I’m very blessed that they asked me back.”

Murphy shared an emotional moment with his father on the pitch after the final whistle and said “bits of everything” were going through his mind as he fended off tears and exhaustion.

The forward also hopes that another Ulster victory can spur Donegal on for a big summer as they chase a first All-Ireland title since 2012.

They are in Group One for this year’s round robin phase alongside Mayo, Tyrone and Cavan.

“It’s a stepping stone, but we need to go again,” added Murphy.

Meanwhile, Armagh keeper Ethan Rafferty described the county’s third successive Ulster final defeat as “sickening”.

“Even if you take the three in a row [defeats] out of it, we sort of kicked ourselves out of it for 10 minutes, both in the first half and second half,” admitted Rafferty.