Jazza Dickens vs. Anthony Cacace | DAZN - 14 March 2026

[Ruthless-RKO]

Round-by-Round starts here






Jazza Dickens to defend WBA 130-pound title vs. Anthony Cacace on March 14

Jazza Dickens will make the first defence of his WBA junior lightweight title against Anthony Cacace on March 14, it was announced on Friday.

The fight will headline a Queensberry show at Dublin's 3Arena on St. Patrick's Day Weekend, ending speculation surrounding the futures of both.

Queensberry chief allegedly teased a 'big fight' when The Ring asked about Cacace's future last month and now, having confirmed terms were agreed on Christmas Eve, it's official.

Dickens (36-5, 15 KOs) was elevated to full champion three weeks before Christmas, immediately after previous titleholder Lamont Roach moved up once more to box Isaac Cruz to a 12-round majority draw on December 6.

The Liverpudlian, 34, was slated to end 2025 with a Saudi business trip as part of a busy Ring V show topped by Naoya Inoue-Alan Picasso, facing Japan's Hayato Tsutsumi (8-0, 5 KOs) before it emerged the 26-year-old withdrew after suffering an injury in sparring.

Dickens, The Ring's No. 9-rated contender at 130 pounds, has reeled off four wins since a 10th-round knockout loss by Hector Andres Sosa in July 2023 for a minor featherweight world title and looks rejuvenated under Dubai-based coach Albert Ayrapetyan.

That was exemplified during his fourth-round knockout win over Olympic champion and then-unbeaten contender Albert Batyrgaziev in Istanbul, Turkey on July 2 to claim interim honours.

WBC beltholder O'Shaquie Foster (24-3, 12 KOs) called for a unification bout on social media after effortlessly outpointing Stephen Fulton on the Roach-Cruz undercard earlier this month, an option that could be pursued if the 14-year pro wins back on British shores.

Cacace (24-1, 9 KOs) enjoyed a career-best 2024 campaign, parlaying marquee wins over then IBF champion Joe Cordina (TKO8) and Josh Warrington (UD12) into a lucrative offer to face Leigh Wood in Nottingham, scoring a ninth-round stoppage on enemy turf May 10.

The Ring's No. 3-rated junior lightweight contender, 36, withdrew from an intriguing duel with former WBA featherweight titleholder Raymond Ford set for Aug. 16 with a back injury but had recovered, actively seeking a return date and clarity for months before this news.

He was originally linked to fights against Irish southpaw pair Jono Carroll (25-3-1, 7 KOs) and Feargal McCrory (17-1, 9 KOs) but instead, Anto gets another world title opportunity having relinquished the IBF crown to pursue Wood, rather than now-titlist Eduardo Nunez.

It'll be a battle of two veteran southpaws with more than 400 rounds' experience between them, with now-former European 140-pound champion Pierce O'Leary (18-0, 10 KOs) facing a career-best challenge up against Mark Chamberlain (17-1-1, 12 KOs) in the chief support.

-----------
ANNOUNCED: Jazza Dickens will defend his WBA super-featherweight world title against Anthony Cacace on March 14th in Dublin, Ireland.

[veriton]

Brilliant fight, that's one to look forward to

[Ruthless-RKO]

Dickens to make Dublin title defence against Cacace

James 'Jazza' Dickens will make the first defence of his WBA super-featherweight title against Belfast's Anthony Cacace at Dublin's 3 Arena on Saturday, 14 March.

The Liverpool southpaw was upgraded to full champion in December as Lamont Roach was stripped of the belt, having fought in lightweight and light-welterweight bouts since his last title defence against County Tyrone's Feargal McCrory in 2024.

Dickens, who has a 36-5 record with 15 knockouts, won the interim title with a fourth-round stoppage of Albert Batyrgaziev in July and was scheduled to face Hayato Tsutsumi in Saudi Arabia on 27 December but withdrew through injury.

Instead, the 34-year-old will take on former IBF champion Cacace - who has one defeat from 25 fights with nine knockouts.

He relinquished the belt in order to face Leigh Wood in May, a fight the 36-year-old won by ninth-round stoppage at Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena.

Cacace has been out of the ring since then, with a back injury forcing him out of an August meeting with Raymond Ford in Saudi Arabia.

However, he returns to take on Dickens as he bids to become a two-time champion, having beaten Joe Cordina to win his first title in Saudi Arabia in 2024 before defeating Josh Warrington at Wembley Stadium four months later.

Chief support on the night will be a light-welterweight battle between two big punchers in Dublin's Pierce O'Leary and Portsmouth's Mark Chamberlain.

[Ruthless-RKO]

So this was the fight Frank was recently hinting

[Ruthless-RKO]

Press Release

Queensberry Promotions is proud to announce a historic return to the Emerald Isle for a massive St. Patrick’s Day Weekend celebration of championship boxing. On Saturday, March 14, the 3Arena in Dublin will play host to an unforgettable night of world-class action, headlined by a highly anticipated world title clash and a domestic lightweight collision for the ages.

In the main event, Liverpool’s newly crowned WBA World Super-Featherweight Champion Jazza Dickens (36-5, 15 KOs) makes the first defense of his title against Belfast’s own Anthony “The Apache” Cacace (24-1, 9 KOs). Cacace, a former IBO and IBF champion, looks to reclaim world honors on home soil in what is widely regarded as a 50-50 domestic thriller. The co-main event features a homecoming for Dublin’s own “Big Bang” Pierce O’Leary, who puts his undefeated record on the line against the formidable Mark Chamberlain. The pair will battle for the Vacant IBO World Super-Lightweight Championship in a fight that promises explosive fireworks from the opening bell.“

We are starting 2026 with a bang,” said Queensberry Chairman allegedly. “Dublin has a rich boxing history, and there is no better time than St. Patrick’s Day weekend to bring world championship boxing back to the 3Arena.

Jazza Dickens vs. Anthony Cacace is a phenomenal match-up between two of the best in the division, and Pierce O’Leary finally gets the big homecoming he deserves against a serious threat in Mark Chamberlain.

This entire show will be live and exclusive on DAZN, ensuring fans across the globe can witness the atmosphere of a Dublin fight night.”Full undercard to be announced in the coming weeks.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jazza looking more like Dopey of Snow White...

[tony1234]

I wonder when these PPV's that people paid for with the DAZN ultimate subscription will be announced?

[Ruthless-RKO]

I wonder when these PPV's that people paid for with the DAZN ultimate subscription will be announced?

first one is Shakur-Teo.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Jono Carroll vs Colm Murphy joins Dickens vs Cacace undercard

Another IBO title bout has joined Queensberry’s May 14 show in Dublin

Queensberry Promotions has announced the full undercard for Jazza Dickens’ March 14th title defense against Anthony Cacace in Dublin, and it’s definitely not short on Irishmen.

In addition to the previously announced clash between Pierce O’Leary and Mark Chamberlain, the show will feature another crossroads bout (with the IBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE LINE) between super featherweight veteran Jono Carroll (25-3-1, 7 KO) and undefeated countryman Colm Murphy (15-0, 5 KO). Carroll is 7-1 since a 2020 upset loss to Maxi Hughes, which has aged beautifully, while Murphy takes a significant step up in class four years into his pro career.

TBA has the rest of the assignments, including a notable one against the returning Gary Cully (18-2, 10 KO). The 6’2” lightweight from Naas hasn’t seen action since a rout at the hands of Hughes two Decembers ago.

[Ruthless-RKO]

After valuable sparring, Steven Cairns ready for career step up come March 14

It is five years since Steven Cairns first arrived at Dave Coldwell's gym in England with a host of amateur accolades and a ton of natural ability.

Cairns' skill and flair will have been obvious from the moment he began shadow boxing and working the bags but the experienced Coldwell wasted little time finding out whether the young Irishman had the steel and desire to become a successful professional.

Cairns passed the test. The heavy handed 23-year-old Cork lightweight has since racked up 13 consecutive wins and is widely regarded as one of Europe's top prospects.

"I was 18. I wasn't training with Dave at the time. I said, "Dave, can I get some sparring with you?" He said, 'Yes, no problem. Come over,'" Cairns (13-0, 8 KOs) told The Ring.

"I just rocked up to the gym and the first day I'm in sparring with Sultan Zaurbek [the world ranked junior lightweight]. Then sparring Jordan Gill, who's been the European champion, then Hopey Price, so I've always gotten good rounds ever since I was young.

"The experience that you might lack in the fight situation, you get in sparring. When I'm in fights now I feel relaxed, like I'm ready to take that step up."

Cairns and Coldwell plan on crossing the Atlantic to get some work out in Las Vegas and continue his education but 2026 will be the year when he sees serious action under the lights on fight night.

Cairns has already earned the respect of those seeing him work in the gym or plying his trade on undercards around the country and has successfully built a large fanbase on social media but the time has come to show a wider audience what he is capable of.

On March 14 he gets that chance when he returns home to Ireland, boxing on the undercard of the WBA junior lightweight title fight between Jazza Dickens and Anthony Cacace. Queensberry's show will be broadcast live and exclusively on DAZN from Dublin's 3Arena.

Cairns doesn’t yet have a name to focus on but knows he will be stepping up to the championship distance, fighting someone as determined to win as he is.

"This is the year when people start taking real notice," he said.

"Obviously I've been a little bit under wraps through boxing. I’ve been promoting myself online but this year I know is when I step up into title fights, people are going to start knowing my name," he said.

"It's obviously the next step in the career is the fights that get the fans excited. Obviously at the start when you're doing your apprenticeship, you're learning, you're coming through.

"These are all steps you have to take because you can't go from zero to 100 but now I feel like I'm ready to go, ready to be left off that leash. Starting in March, I'm going to be fighting for my first title."

[Ruthless-RKO]

Dickens feels 'no pressure' before Cacace title bout

Physical dimensions aside, there are similarities between WBA super-featherweight champion James 'Jazza' Dickens and Anthony Cacace who will challenge for the Liverpool man's title in Dublin's 3 Arena on 14 March.

World glory has come to both men late in their career, while both exude a humble, respectful approach to the challenges they face having come through their individual career setbacks.

In Dublin on Tuesday, they came face-to-face as their St Patrick's weekend showdown was made official and it was smiles rather than snarls as they went through the head-to-head formalities.

Dickens, who scored a career-best win against 2020 Olympics gold medallist Albert Batyrgaziev to win the interim version of the title last July, was upgraded to full champion in December with Lamont Roach now campaigning at a higher weight.

A planned fight with Hayato Tsutsumi in Saudi Arabia on 27 December fell through due to the Japanese fighter picking up an injury, but the stars aligned for the 34-year-old southpaw who returns to a city he knows all too well, having previously trained under Peter Taylor in Dublin before making the switch to Albert Aryrapetyan in Dubai.

"There is no pressure on me now," 34-year-old Dickens told BBC Sport NI.

"No matter what I do in my career, I can always say I have been world champion and I'm looking forward to the big nights ahead.

"As a fighter, you look forward to what's next, what's bigger and unifications ahead, but right now the man standing in my way is Anthony Cacace. He's a brilliant fighter but I'm looking forward to a big night in Dublin."

'Opportunity to become two-time champ mind-blowing'

Former IBF champion Cacace opted to relinquish the title he won against Joe Cordina in 2024 in order to travel to take on Leigh Wood in Nottingham last May, winning by ninth-round stoppage.

In between, he out-pointed Josh Warrington in Wembley Stadium as his own fairytale run gathered pace, but a back injury sustained against Wood forced him out of a planned fight with Raymond Ford in Saudi Arabia last August.

Like Dickens, the Belfast man has felt there has been a greater plan for him and the opportunity to become a two-time world champion is one he is not taking for granted.

"It's mind-blowing and even I don't believe it at times," the 36-year-old told BBC Sport NI's Mark Sidebottom.

"Driving down here today, I was saying to the lads, 'I'm fighting for my second world title' when a couple of years ago, nobody wanted to know me. I thank the Lord every day for where he has brought me and I want to go as far as I can.

"I have three kids, was earning nothing from boxing and I was ready to walk away, but I have an addictive personality and it kept bringing me back. I was destined for more and I always knew it, so by the grace of God I got there."

The size difference between the pair is evident and Cacace, a career super-featherweight will hold the aces in that regard when the opening bell rings in March.

While respectful of the champion, Cacace is determined to seize the opportunity and make a statement in the process.

"He's a southpaw, a lot smaller than me so it will be a tricky fight," he continued.

"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."

Dickens 'will go in with challenger's mindset'

Dickens has been on a four-fight winning streak since making the move up from featherweight where he lost in his second world title fight against Kid Galahad in 2021, having come up short against Cuba's Guillermo Rigondeaux at super-bantamweight in 2016.

A points win over Zelfa Barrett in February 2025 opened the door for the trip to Istanbul to face Batyrgaziev in a high risk, high reward fight in which he produced the performance of his life, stopping the previously unbeaten Russian in the fourth round.

It's another big challenge against Cacace, but he will employ the challenger's mindset and is confident he will prevail.

"I have many tools in my locker and find a way, which I will," he insists.

"It [Batyrgaziev] was one of my best wins but I go fight-by-fight, so you can't go into your next fight with the last fight's mindset.

"Even in terms of being a champion, am I? Once you get in that ring, nobody is the champion. It's the man who comes out with the belt, so every fight is a challenge and that is my mindset.

"You've got to make the most of this opportunity as it could be your last."

[Ruthless-RKO]

ANTHONY CACACE INSISTS JAZZA DICKENS IN FOR 'HARD NIGHT'

Anthony Cacace is promising WBA junior lightweight champion Jazza Dickens 'a hard night' when they meet at Dublin’s 3Arena on March 14.

Cacace (24-1, 9 KOs) spent years in the wilderness but has forced himself into the spotlight over the past two years.

Renowned as a brutally hard puncher on the British boxing circuit, the Belfast man announced himself on the world stage by bludgeoning IBF champion Joe Cordina to an eighth-round defeat in May 2024.

Since then, he has notched up convincing wins over former featherweight title holders Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood and earned himself the No. 3 position in The Ring’s junior lightweight rankings.

Now, he gets the chance to add a second glorious chapter to his career against another man who has belatedly arrived at the sport’s top table.

“The way the way everything’s turned out for me is just insane,” he told Queensberry.

“Now, I'm just riding the crest of a wave now and have the chance to become a two-time world champion. All the other stuff comes and goes out the window. I am fully focused. I am on the brink of obsessed at this point.

“Jazza has got a really hard night ahead of him and so do I. But I really do genuinely believe that this could be one of the best Irish fights in a long time.”

Cacace will be 37 years old by the time the bell sounds to start the fight with Dickens (36-5, 15 KOs), but he enjoyed being a champion and wants to continue competing at the highest level for as long as possible

Dickens, 34, is enjoying an Indian summer of his own and sits ninth in The Ring rankings, but Cacace doesn’t believe that the tough Liverpudlian has the same level of desire and determination as he.

“If he does then he deserves it,” Cacace said.

“If he does, it makes for a fight of the year contender without a shadow of a doubt.

“He's a southpaw and small. I’m tall. Orthodox, southpaw. I can switch. It makes for an interesting one, too. It's not just a great fight but a world class fight.”

[stujones]

Nice fight, you’d have to favour Cacace unless age does catch up with him.

[brian1982]

Like Jazza, but the biggest threat to Cacace is getting through camp.

[tigermoth87]

Jazza takes this. He's having one of those solid runs that C-Level fighters have sometimes where he gets a string of decent wins and gets underestimated by someone who should easily beat him.

[mickey1975]

Jazza takes this. He's having one of those solid runs that C-Level fighters have sometimes where he gets a string of decent wins and gets underestimated by someone who should easily beat him.

C level?

[BigEars]

Jazza takes this. He's having one of those solid runs that C-Level fighters have sometimes where he gets a string of decent wins and gets underestimated by someone who should easily beat him.

Cacace doesn't strike me as the type to underestimate somebody. I'd imagine suddenly getting "old" is more of a risk to him than complacency.

[Taansend]

If anything tells you about the ups & downs of Boxing it's Mark Chamberlain on this card.

Less than 18 months ago he was an undefeated fighter with 8 stoppages in his last 9 fights, having fought in Saudi as favourite of Turki & being lined up for a title shot.

If he loses to O'Leary he'll have one win in four & that would be against an 8-4 fighter & who knows where he goes from there.

Meanwhile Josh Padley was WORKING AS A SOLAR PANEL INSTALLER in case you hadn't heard & fighting in front of a crowd of dozens in Malta before beating Chamberlain. Then he got well rewarded in a shot against (maybe) the best US fighter at present, wins the Euro title & is now ranked 5th by one of the alphabets.

Sliding fornicating doors, innit.

[Coco]

Jazza takes this. He's having one of those solid runs that C-Level fighters have sometimes where he gets a string of decent wins and gets underestimated by someone who should easily beat him.

Cacace doesn't strike me as the type to underestimate somebody. I'd imagine suddenly getting "old" is more of a risk to him than complacency.

For me Cacace def wins this, too big and strong

[Bigdogsnose]

Write jazza off at your peril.

I am like, think cacace will stop him. But thats at my peril.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[joshj909]

Journalists should report facts and research, and should not really give opinions. Copp in recent years has gone from one to the other. I don't see why a journalist should be on a live boxing show as they often know about the industry but very little about the sport.

[SeanBrennan]

Coppinger nominated Kinahan for manager of the year. I wouldn’t put any stock in his opinion

[mickey1975]

Coppinger nominated Kinahan for manager of the year. I wouldn’t put any stock in his opinion

Deservedly at one point.

[joshj909]

Coppinger nominated Kinahan for manager of the year. I wouldn’t put any stock in his opinion

Deservedly at one point.

He was making things happen by paying higher purses and other fees to launder his money.