Fight week is here as Liverpool’s James Dickens prepares for the first defence of his WBA super-featherweight world title against Belfast’s Anthony Cacace.
The 3Arena in Dublin is the venue for the St Patrick’s weekend showdown and it is a huge sporting weekend in the city with Ireland and Scotland battling it out in the Six Nations earlier in the day.
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However, it will be hits of another kind in the Irish capital on Saturday evening.
If boxing loves an underdog story, these two men fit the bill, seeking to make the most of their late ascent after years scrapping in the shadows with success coming to them in their 30s.
With that in mind, both men can be expected to pour everything they have into Saturday’s contest. Cacace is bidding to become a two-time champion after winning the IBF version two years ago, while Dickens wants to make the most of his time at the top having finally won a world title at the third time of asking.
Here is a deep dive into how the fight is set up.
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What are their stats?
At 34, champion Dickens is the younger of the pair and has much more experience as a pro with 41 contests [262 total rounds] under his belt with 36 wins – 15 inside the distance – and five losses which includes four by stoppage.
The Liverpudlian is a southpaw with listed dimensions of 5ft 5in in height with a 63-inch reach, which makes him the smaller man.
Cacace recently turned 37 but has fewer miles on the clock with 25 contests [173 rounds], 24 four wins – nine by knock out – and just one defeat.
Listed as a southpaw, the Belfast man boxes predominately as an orthodox but is comfortable in either stance. He stands at 5ft 10in and his long reach of 71in provides a significant advantage.
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Who holds the other belts in the division?
O’Shaquie Foster holds the WBC title [Getty Images]
Emanuel Navarrete recently unified the division by adding the IBF title – once held by Cacace – to his collection having already claimed the WBO version.
The three-division champion stopped fellow Mexican Eduardo ‘Sugar’ Nunez in Arizona on 28 February to stake his claim as the division’s best.
O’Shaquie Foster holds the WBC title and while the American won the sanctioning body’s ‘interim’ lightweight title in December, he has dropped that belt to remain the champion at super-featherweight.
The winner on Saturday may look to unify against either of their contemporaries later this year.
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How did Dickens get here?
Dickens was upgraded to full champion after winning the ‘interim’ title by stopping Albert Batyrgaziev last July [Getty Images]
As mentioned, success has come to both men late in their career with Dickens losing in world title challenges at super-bantamweight to Guillermo Rigondeaux in 2016 and at featherweight to Kid Galahad in 2021.
But while it looked like his career may be over after losing to Hector Andres Sosa in 2023, he has been reborn at super-featherweight.
A pair of routine wins led to a step-up against Zelfa Barrett which he won on points before a career-best victory when he stopped 2020 Olympic gold medallist Albert Batyrgaziev in the fourth round of a WBA ‘interim’ title fight in Turkey last July.
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With Lamont Roach later stripped of the world title, Dickens was upgraded to full champion and he is back in Dublin for his first defence – a city he knows well having spent years training under coach Peter Taylor before relocating to Dubai.
What about Cacace?
The Belfast man’s career appeared to be meandering nowhere following his sole career defeat by Martin J Ward in a 2017 British and Commonwealth title fight.
He was back on the rails by winning the British title in 2019, but his momentum was halted when several fights fell through.
Victory over Michael Magnesi for the fringe IBO belt in 2022 provided a spark, but his big chance came in May 2024 when he got the opportunity to face IBF champion Joe Cordina.
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On the undercard of the first Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury fight in Saudi Arabia, Cacace blasted through Cordina in eight rounds.
Cacace followed that with victory over Josh Warrington at Wembley Stadium later that year, but it was not recorded as an official defence with the challenger from Leeds ineligible to fight for the title.
Cacace then vacated at the beginning of 2025 in order to take on former featherweight world champion Leigh Wood last May, winning by eighth-round stoppage in Nottingham.
Cacace claimed the IBF title with victory over Joe Cordina in May 2024 [Getty Images]
‘I feel brand new’ – what have they said?
James Dickens: “A first defence in your second favourite city in the world – you couldn’t make it up. It’s been some journey so far and I’m very happy.
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“There are many ways to skin a cat and I have many tools in my armoury to find a way, as I always do.
“You’ve got to make the most of this opportunity as this can always be your last.
“I recognise who he is as a champion. The late start he’s had, nothing’s been handed to him so I know what it means for him to lose in this situation. I don’t want to be the guy to lose to him, so that’s why I know I have to be 100 percent.”
Anthony Cacace: “Fighting for my second world championship is what dreams are made of.
“Over 13 months, I had three championship fights and three training camps which I think took their toll on me but I feel brand new now and I’m ready to rock.
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“I fully respect Jazza as he has given me another crack at a world title in my own country.
“It may not be all-action but I am ready to push it. You don’t get paid for overtime so I want to be stopping these lads and make proper good fights for the public.”
Who is on the undercard?
Dublin’s Pierce O’Leary will fight in his home city for the first time as a professional [Getty Images]
Chief support will see Dublin’s Pierce O’Leary fight in his home city for the first time as a pro when he takes on replacement Maxi Hughes with the vacant IBO light-welterweight belt up for grabs.
Portsmouth’s Mark Chamberlain was due to face O’Leary, but he was forced to withdraw because of an infection with Yorkshire’s Hughes stepping up in weight for the challenge.
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The vacant IBO super-featherweight title is also on offer as Dubliner Jono Carroll and Belfast’s Colm Murphy lock horns, while an interesting addition to the card is Southampton’s undefeated super-featherweight Ryan Garner, who will be keen to earn a crack at the winner of the main event.
James Dickens v Anthony Cacace – WBA world super-featherweight title
Pierce O’Leary v Maxi Hughes – vacant IBO light-welterweight title
Jono Carroll v Colm Murphy – vacant IBO super-featherweight title
Steven Cairns v Arnie Dawson – lightweight
Eoghan Lavin v Liam Walsh – middleweight
Ryan Garner v TBA – super-featherweight
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Barry McReynolds v Jonatas Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira – light-welterweight
Davey Joyce v TBA – super-featherweight
Adam Olaniyan v TBA – heavyweight
Gary Cully v Benito Sanchez Garcia – light-welterweight
Thomas Carty v German Skobenko – heavyweight
Bobbi Flood v Bela Istvan Orban – middleweight
Eugene McKeever v TBA – light-middleweight
Running order and times to be confirmed
How do I follow Dickens v Cacace on the BBC?
We will have live text commentary from the 3Arena on Saturday night with reports and reaction to follow.
There will be further build-up throughout fight week on the BBC Sport app & website as we hear more from both camps leading up to the opening bell.
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