IBO super featherweight champion Anthony Cacace (24-1, 9 KOs) scored an impressive ninth-round technical knockout victory over former two-time WBA 126-lb champion Leigh Wood (28-4, 17 KOs) on Saturday night at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England. The former IBF Cacace unloaded with a barrage of punches in the ninth round, resulting in Wood’s trainer throwing in the towel. Referee John Lathan stopped the fight at 2:15 of the ninth. The fight was competitive until Wood angered Cacace in the ninth, and then it was a rout.
“You take into consideration Leigh’s age and where he’s at in his career, how the fights going, and the man that’s in front of him,” said Wood’s trainer Ben Davison to The Ring about the factors that led to him throwing in the towel in the ninth round. “We know Cacace is a good puncher, a good finisher. My instinct said that was the right thing to do at the time.”
Wood Flees! Towel Thrown
Well, Wood had turned his back and was running from Cacace after being bombarded with artillery in the ninth. It doesn’t take a genius to know that it was a good time to throw in the towel. Davison is trying to make it out like he had a lot of thoughts going through his head that he was considering at the time he gave up the ship. Anyone could see that Wood had turned his back and was running from the battlefield. He’d basically thrown down his rifle and was choosing to run rather than fight to his last breath, the way a good soldier would in war.
Light heavyweight prospect Erza Taylor (12-0, 8 KOs) dominated the hapless Troy Jones (12-1, 6 KOs), winning a 12-round unanimous decision. The scores were 99-91, 100-90, and 97-94. It wasn’t an easy fight for Taylor, as he was getting hit a lot, but he still had too much firepower for Jones.
– Former super bantamweight Liam Davies (17-1, 8 KOs) outboxed previously unbeaten Kurt Walker (12-1, 2 KOs), beating him by a 12-round unanimous decision to win the IBF Inter-continental featherweight title. The scores were 115-113, 116-112, and 117-111. Davies, 29, looked too skilled for Walker, throwing combinations without loading up and avoiding his return fire. The score that made the most sense of the three was the 117-111.
– Welterweight Owen Cooper (11-1, 4 KOs) overcame a slow start to come on in the second half to defeat Chris Kongo (17-3, 7 KOs). Referee Kevin Parker scored it 96-94 for Cooper. Kongo looked good early on, taking the fight to Cooper. However, in the second half, Kongo gassed out. That allowed Cooper to come on and take it. Cooper landed 237 of 602 punches. Kongo connected on 171 of 686.
