Martin J Ward wants shot at European title after beating Anthony Cacace
Wednesday 19 July 2017 14:42, UK
Martin J Ward is eyeing up a shot at European honours after he claimed the British super-featherweight title outright on Saturday night.
Ward also added the vacant Commonwealth title to his collection as he earned a narrow decision over Belfast's Anthony Cacace at Wembley's SSE Arena, winning via scores of 115-114, 116-114 and 116-113.
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The victory marked the third successive defence of the coveted Lonsdale belt for Ward, who remains undefeated, and the 26-year-old now wants to push on and challenge for higher honours.
"It was a great night for my career, especially against a big-punching, unbeaten Northern Irishman in Cacace and I'm over the moon to get the belt outright," Ward exclusively told Sky Sports.
"I felt the pressure to perform in there and I just tried to stick to the game plan and do what I've been doing in training.
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"It was a bit of a grudge match against Cacace and there was a lot of talking going on. He was quite solid in there, but did not have ridiculous power, he hit me flush early on and I dropped my hands and said 'come on!'
"It was a close fight and some people scored it against me and some for me, including the judges sat ringside. Maybe because of that I haven't got the credit I deserve, but I'm just delighted to have my title for keeps - it's an amazing feeling."
Having claimed the Commonwealth belt and British title outright, Ward has now set his eyes on the European strap, currently held by France's Guillaume Frenois, while a domestic clash with Stephen Smith also takes his fancy for the future.
"I'm going to have a couple of weeks out of the gym and then get back to work. I'm looking to go all the way in the sport and the European route is the next logical step.
"Frenois is an experienced champion and I'll happily fight him anywhere, in France or London, it really doesn't matter - a ring is a ring.
"Smith is another fight for further down the line maybe, he's fallen short at world level a few times now so hopefully I am on the road to getting to a similar level to him where an exciting fight could easily be made."
