Winner of Cacace-Dickens set for big all-U.K. title fight next.
This Saturday, the super-featherweight division will see the meeting of two of the finest 130-pound fighters in the United Kingdom, as James ‘Jazza’ Dickens will defend his recently-won WBA strap against Anthony ‘The Andytown Apache’ Cacace at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.
The entire card is packed full of terrific action, with the co-main event featuring Maxi Hughes’s late-notice step-in against Pierce O’Leary for the IBO super-lightweight title.
However, what makes the headline attraction so interesting is not just the clash of styles, but the form that both men are in.
Liverpool’s Dickens (36-5, 15 KOs) has overcome a myriad of setbacks to get to where he is now. The Merseyside native has fought some of the best names in and around the three divisions he has operated in, but always fell short on the most important occasions.
A brutal one-punch knockout loss to little-known Argentinian Hector Andres Sosa in 2023 seemed to be the end of the road for Dickens. However, after stopping two low-level opponents, he would surprisingly outbox the favoured Zelfa Barrett. Then in his next fight, Dickens travelled to Turkey and pulled off a shocker in demolishing Albert Batyrgaziev, the undefeated professional and former 2020 Olympic gold medallist.
With the win, Dickens captured the WBA interim title, which was upgraded to the full championship following Lamont Roach Jr.’s decision to face Isaac Cruz at super-lightweight.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s Anthony Cacace (24-1, 9 KOs) hasn’t faced as many of the same issues as a professional, but was struggling to face a top-level opponent until a 2024 shot at undefeated IBF super-featherweight champion Joe Cordina.
Cacace would drop and stop the two-time champion, but would vacate his belt to take on two-time featherweight champion Josh Warrington, who he beat by decision.
Just under a year ago, Cacace would beat another two-time featherweight champion in Leigh Wood, winning by 9th-round TKO. Now he will be putting his IBO title on the line in an effort to win the WBA from Dickens.
As stated, the undercard to the fight is great in its own right, but one man in particular will have his eye on the main event.
Ryan ‘The Piranha’ Garner (18-0, 9 KOs) is set for an undercard slot against an opponent yet to be confirmed. The 28-year-old from Southampton put on a career-best performance in 2025 to stop Reece Bellotti and take home the British, Commonwealth, European, and WBC international super-featherweight titles.
Since then, Garner has been out of the ring, but the well-ranked contender will be hoping to secure a shot at whoever walks away with the WBA and IBO titles at the top of the bill, provided he gets through his scheduled 8-rounder earlier on in the show (which he is expected to do).
🚨 GARNER LINED UP FOR CACACE/DICKENS
đź’Ą The winner of the Anthony Cacace-Jazza Dickens WBA featherweight title fight could be headed to St Mary’s this summer for a title defense against the unbeaten Ryan Garner, who features on Saturday’s undercard. pic.twitter.com/45NrDoUuFy
— EverythingBoxing | Darshan Desai (@EverythingBoxi2) March 12, 2026
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