Belfast world champion boxer Anthony Cacace receives a hero’s welcome

Boxing world champion Anthony Cacace received a hero’s welcome on his return to west Belfast on Monday after his world title success over the weekend. Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the victory of the “Andytown Apache,” who won his fight on the undercard of the Tyson Fury-Oleksandr Usyk heavyweight title clash.

Cacace, 35, was welcomed home to Andersonstown with chants of “Anto, Anto Cacace” as he basked in the glory of his achievement. The boxer expressed his disbelief at the overwhelming support, stating, “I’m absolutely in shock I can’t believe it, I swear to God. My whole life’s changed.”

Young boxers Harry Hassin and Jerry McCann were among those who welcomed Cacace home, expressing how his performance inspired them to strive for greatness in their own boxing careers. Paul and Liz Drain, who have a personal connection to Cacace, described him as an inspiration and shared their nerves and excitement during his fight.

Mr. Drain, who used to train Cacace when he was younger, expressed his pride in the champion, highlighting the perseverance and self-belief that led to his success. “Just shows what you can do when you stick at something – he believed in himself and he’s done it,” Mr. Drain said.

Cacace, now aiming to unify all the boxing belts, has become a symbol of hope and determination for the community in west Belfast, proving that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.