IRELAND’S ANTHONY CACACE and English world champion Jazza Dickens have soundly made weight for Saturday night’s super-featherweight world-title clash at the sold-out 3Arena (live DAZN).
Belfast’s Cacace [24-1, 9KOs], who will boast home-country advantage in Dublin despite being the challenger, was registered at 129.5lbs at a behind-closed-doors weigh-in on Friday morning. Beltholder Dickens [36-5, 15KOs] came in almost a pound under the super-featherweight limit at 129.14lbs.
Fond of each other outside of the ring and sharing several mutual friends, Saturday’s protagonists later faced off at a ceremonial weigh-in, which was open to the public. A long, tense stare-down was eventually punctuated by a handshake.
“We’ve got the respect for each other but tomorrow night, I’m coming to take that strap home up to Belfast,” Cacace said.
“It’s time now. I just wanna get my hands on him. I just wanna get the show on the road. Tomorrow night can’t come quick enough.
This is a dream come true. I have to thank Jazza for giving me the opportunity but, y’know, that was the wrong move from Jazza.
Belfast’s late-blooming Cacace, 36, was previously a super-featherweight world champion in his own right but he vacated his IBF title early last year to avoid a mandatory fight and instead pursue more lucrative bouts with British rivals.
‘Anto’ subsequently defeated former featherweight world champions Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood in high-profile non-title bouts, going on to sign a contract to face Brian Peters’ American star, Ray Ford. However, Cacace suffered a back injury during his training camp and was forced to withdraw from the contest.
The Andersonstown native hasn’t fought since sensationally stopping hometown hero Wood in Nottingham last May.
Liverpool’s Dickens, meanwhile, stunned the previously unbeaten Russian Albert Batyrgaziev during his last outing in July. He was subsequently upgraded to world-champion status by the WBA after previous beltholder Lamont Roach opted to move up in weight instead of making a mandatory defence against the Englishman.
The 34-year-old Dickens is no stranger to Dublin: he was previously coached by Pete Taylor, a time in which he would train in the city for weeks on end.
“You can hear the support already and the Scousers aren’t even here yet,” said Dickens.
“We (Dickens and Cacace) just can’t wait to get in the ring and hear the first bell. The mutual respect will always be there, whether we fight or not.
He’s a great champion. But I’m not fucking letting no one take my belt. It’s mine. You wouldn’t give your livelihood away to anyone, would you?
Cacace has overcome years of misfortune with injuries, opponent withdrawals and card cancellations to reach the super-featherweight summit. In 2024, he dethroned Welsh star Joe Cordina in Saudi Arabia, becoming a world champion on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk’s first victory over Tyson Fury.
Cacace’s sequence of victories over high-level British opponents — Cordina, Warrington and Wood — rivals that of any male Irish boxer in the last 10 years.
A fourth in a row over Dickens would see him become a two-time world champion.
Ahead of the chief-support bout, meanwhile, Sheriff Street local Pierce O’Leary [18-0, 10KOs] weighed in at 139.8lbs for his light-welterweight contest with South Yorkshireman Maxi Hughes [29-8-2, 6KOs].
Replacement opponent Hughes who, despite moving up in weight at short notice, is very much a live dog in their 12-round bout, came in lighter at 139.12lbs.
The 26-year-old O’Leary grew up just a few hundred metres from The Point and will have huge support from the North Inner City and beyond as he fights in his local venue for the first time.
World-title opportunities await should he pass this acid test against Hughes, whose record on paper belies his threat: the 36-year-old has, in recent years, either troubled or defeated several world-level opponents. Hughes also holds victories over Irish trio Paul Hyland Jr, Jono Carroll and Gary Cully, the latter two of whom feature on Saturday night’s undercard.
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'A dream come true' - Irish challenger Cacace makes weight for world-title shot at sold-out 3Arena
IRELAND’S ANTHONY CACACE and English world champion Jazza Dickens have soundly made weight for Saturday night’s super-featherweight world-title clash at the sold-out 3Arena (live DAZN).
Belfast’s Cacace [24-1, 9KOs], who will boast home-country advantage in Dublin despite being the challenger, was registered at 129.5lbs at a behind-closed-doors weigh-in on Friday morning. Beltholder Dickens [36-5, 15KOs] came in almost a pound under the super-featherweight limit at 129.14lbs.
Fond of each other outside of the ring and sharing several mutual friends, Saturday’s protagonists later faced off at a ceremonial weigh-in, which was open to the public. A long, tense stare-down was eventually punctuated by a handshake.
“We’ve got the respect for each other but tomorrow night, I’m coming to take that strap home up to Belfast,” Cacace said.
“It’s time now. I just wanna get my hands on him. I just wanna get the show on the road. Tomorrow night can’t come quick enough.
Belfast’s late-blooming Cacace, 36, was previously a super-featherweight world champion in his own right but he vacated his IBF title early last year to avoid a mandatory fight and instead pursue more lucrative bouts with British rivals.
‘Anto’ subsequently defeated former featherweight world champions Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood in high-profile non-title bouts, going on to sign a contract to face Brian Peters’ American star, Ray Ford. However, Cacace suffered a back injury during his training camp and was forced to withdraw from the contest.
The Andersonstown native hasn’t fought since sensationally stopping hometown hero Wood in Nottingham last May.
Liverpool’s Dickens, meanwhile, stunned the previously unbeaten Russian Albert Batyrgaziev during his last outing in July. He was subsequently upgraded to world-champion status by the WBA after previous beltholder Lamont Roach opted to move up in weight instead of making a mandatory defence against the Englishman.
The 34-year-old Dickens is no stranger to Dublin: he was previously coached by Pete Taylor, a time in which he would train in the city for weeks on end.
“You can hear the support already and the Scousers aren’t even here yet,” said Dickens.
“We (Dickens and Cacace) just can’t wait to get in the ring and hear the first bell. The mutual respect will always be there, whether we fight or not.
Cacace has overcome years of misfortune with injuries, opponent withdrawals and card cancellations to reach the super-featherweight summit. In 2024, he dethroned Welsh star Joe Cordina in Saudi Arabia, becoming a world champion on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk’s first victory over Tyson Fury.
Cacace’s sequence of victories over high-level British opponents — Cordina, Warrington and Wood — rivals that of any male Irish boxer in the last 10 years.
A fourth in a row over Dickens would see him become a two-time world champion.
Ahead of the chief-support bout, meanwhile, Sheriff Street local Pierce O’Leary [18-0, 10KOs] weighed in at 139.8lbs for his light-welterweight contest with South Yorkshireman Maxi Hughes [29-8-2, 6KOs].
Replacement opponent Hughes who, despite moving up in weight at short notice, is very much a live dog in their 12-round bout, came in lighter at 139.12lbs.
The 26-year-old O’Leary grew up just a few hundred metres from The Point and will have huge support from the North Inner City and beyond as he fights in his local venue for the first time.
World-title opportunities await should he pass this acid test against Hughes, whose record on paper belies his threat: the 36-year-old has, in recent years, either troubled or defeated several world-level opponents. Hughes also holds victories over Irish trio Paul Hyland Jr, Jono Carroll and Gary Cully, the latter two of whom feature on Saturday night’s undercard.
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