Anthony Cacace vs. Eduardo Nuñez set for Nov. 7 purse bid; Cacace among 6 to re-sign with Frank Warren

The IBF on Tuesday scheduled a Nov. 7 purse bid hearing for super featherweight champion Anthony Cacace’s ordered mandatory defense against dangerous challenger Eduardo Nuñez.

A Cacace-Nuñez bout was first ordered in May, but the pair failed to agree on terms for the contest, so purse bids have now been set on two occasions. In the first instance, both parties eventually agreed on a step-aside deal to allow Cacace to defend his title against Josh Warrington on the Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois undercard and for Nuñez to take a tune-up fight with Miguel Marriaga while receiving financial compensation.

Belfast’s Cacace (23-1, 8 KOs) won a wide decision over Warrington in September, while the Mexican Nuñez (28-1, 28 KOs) halted Marriaga in six rounds in his U.S. debut. As a result, the IBF has once again ordered the Cacace vs. Nuñez fight, and with no deal reached yet, purse bids have been called.

Nuñez travelled to Tajikistan in February to earn the mandatory spot with an 11th-round knockout win over former IBF titleholder Shavkat Rakhimov. Cacace stopped Joe Cordina in eight rounds in May on the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk undercard to win the belt.

Nuñez is promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, while Cacace is represented by — and on Tuesday signed a long-term contract extension with — Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions. Queensberry and Matchroom have had a strong working relationship since the flood of Saudi Arabia-backed “Riyadh Season” cards began in 2023, so common ground could still be found before next Thursday’s auction. The two sides can reach an agreement up to 15 minutes before the bids are unsealed.

Alongside Cacace, Warren’s Queensberry announced Tuesday that WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball, WBO/WBC No. 1 middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz, highly rated heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma, European lightweight champion Sam Noakes, and IBO super bantamweight titlist Liam Davies — who faces unbeaten contender Shabaz Masoud on Saturday — have extended their contracts with the Hall of Fame promoter.

Liverpool’s Ball edged Ray Ford to win the title in a Fight of the Year contender in June and made his first defense with a 10th-round knockout of Ronny Rios in early October. A Nov. 4 negotiation deadline looms for the WBO-ordered mandatory bout between Janibek Alimkhanuly and Sheeraz, while Itauma returns on the Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk undercard to battle Australian southpaw Demsey McKean.