Cacace defeats Dickens to land second world title
Belfast's Anthony Cacace is the new WBA super-featherweight champion thanks to a unanimous decision win over James 'Jazza' Dickens at Dublin's 3 Arena.
The 37-year-old, who claimed the IBF version in 2024 before vacating last year, did enough in a gruelling battle, which never fully came to life, to dethrone the defending champion from Liverpool on cards of 116-113, 116-112 and 115-113.
It all played out in front of a sold-out arena as Cacace produced the goods to continue his remarkable run.
This victory ensured he remains in the conversation as to whom is the 9st 4lb (59kg) top dog with Mexico's Emanuel Navarrete (WBO and IBF) and USA's O'Shaquie Foster (WBC) the other champions in the division.
"That showed you what I can do on a poor night at the office and still win a world title," Cacace told DAZN after.
"Jazza had an awkward style, a southpaw and was hard to hit but I'm the new world champion."
Cacace comes through in a cagey battle
Cacace emerged to the strains of 'Zombie' which brought an already pumped-up crowd to raise the roof once again as he waited on Dickens who seemed non-plussed by the hostile environment.
The champion was posing the southpaw puzzle to Cacace for the first time since 2015 and his career-best win over Albert Batyrgaziev last summer saw him open with confidence, targeting the body.
Cacace, on his own run of impressive form, enjoyed success off the jab, seeking to time the champion on the way in but would take a solid counter of his own in the second.
It was warming up nicely after the early rounds with Dickens looking more comfortable, darting in and out as he targeted the body and slipped some raids from Cacace who temporarily joined him as a southpaw, but the Belfast man did enjoy success late in the third with a right hand landing flush.
The fourth was cagey with both clearly respectful of the other as Dickens was happy to keep just enough distance, perhaps trying to lure the challenger to step in and punish, but Cacace wasn't taking the bait.
There was a sense that Cacace had enough of that pattern and he went straight on the attack to begin the fifth, letting out an audible growl of intent, driving Dickens back as he began to bring his uppercut into play as Dickens seemed to be feeling the pressure.
The champion steadied a little in the sixth as he got through with a left as the action began to retreat into a technical battle as success was limited to single shots either way, neither willing to fully gamble, yet it seemed like Cacace was trying to do a little more.
It was Cacace's turn to look a little uncomfortable in the ninth as Dickens got through with left hands after the Belfast man turned to complain to the referee about a head clash – one of many in the fight.
Still, it appeared on a knife-edge going into the final round of a fight neither really took a firm grip of and a sense those three minutes could prove crucial.
Dickens certainly opened with more urgency with Cacace fighting off the back foot, but was still able to thud home some rights of his own.
Both appeared happy with their night's work at the final bell but there was a sense the Belfast corner was the happier and so it proved as Cacace returns to the top.
Where do they go from here?
This meeting of two men well into their 30s was always a high-staked affair as victory would bring further opportunity, while defeat would leave much to ponder in terms of where they go.
Perhaps that added to the cagey battle that transpired, with Cacace perhaps just having those extra layers to come through.
It wasn't vintage from the Belfast man, but it was enough as he grabbed the win, improving to 25 wins with one loss.
Southampton's Ryan Garner also seems like a viable option as his presence on the undercard, stopping Cristian Bielma in three rounds to improve to 19-0, and the made no bones about his desire to get his shot next.
However, Cacace feels he has bigger fish to fry, saying: "All respect to Ryan Garner, an up-and-comer, but I want bigger names and unifications."
His promoter, Frank Warren told the Dublin crowd Cacace would be back at home in the summer, but perhaps could it be done in his native Belfast?
Options are aplenty, but for Dickens, it's back to square one.
His four-fight winning streak ends and will now seek to survey what is next.
Perhaps he could provide the opposition for Garner should he be keen to continue but despite his undoubted disappointment on Saturday, he may feel he was within a whisker of handing Cacace a first defeat since 2017.
There still seems to be plenty in the tank for 'Jazza' who proved he can be a handful at the top level.
