BoxRec

ANNOUNCED: Anthony Cacace will defend his WBA super featherweight world title against Nick Ball on December 19th in Belfast, live on DAZN.

Ball looked really really good up until he won the title & then looked OK.

Unless he turns back the clock a few years I do not see him beating Cacace.

More likely a steady beat down with a late stoppage.

Cacace vs Ball

Cacace (25-1, 9 KO) will be defending the WBA 130 lb he won from Jazza Dickens on March 14, facing Ball (23-1-1, 13 KO), who lost the WBA featherweight title by TKO in the 12th round against Brandon Figueroa on February 7 in Liverpool.

“Nick’s a great fighter, an ex-world champion, he’s beaten them all. I expect a good scrap. He’s a hard man. Let’s do it,” Cacace said, simple and plain.

“It’s a massive opportunity at a new weight,” Ball said. “He’s a solid champion, it’s going to be a good fight.”

What could be the best fight of the lot, and may have the best atmosphere, probably also has the two guys who came off the most soft-spoken and respectful of one another in these announcements. Like the fighters, I expect a heck of a battle between these two.

CHRISTMAS WILL COME EARLY FOR NICK BALL AGAINST CACACE

Christmas arrives earlier than the calendar indicates this year for Nick Ball as he attempts to unwrap a title shot against WBA junior lightweight champion Anthony Cacace on December 19 at The O2 Belfast in Northern Ireland on DAZN.

Ball (23-1-1, 13 KOs) hasn't fought since suffering a dramatic 12th-round stoppage and losing his WBA 126-pound title against Brandon Figueroa in Liverpool on February 7.

Although Ball has fought above 130 pounds before, he hasn't done so in nearly six years, well before he made a name for himself by beating the likes of Isaac Dogboe, Raymond Ford, Ronny Rios, TJ Doheny, Sam Goodman and fighting to a draw against Rey Vargas.

"It's another massive opportunity at a new weight," Ball said. "Anthony Cacace is a solid champion, so it's going to be a good fight. I expect an action-packed fight. I'll be coming, he'll be coming, so it's going to be a good one. I'm 100 percent taking that WBA strap off of him."

Ball's proclamation will be easier said than done when you consider that the always-cracking Cacace is coming in from the opposite corner.

Cacace (25-1, 9 KOs) holds the WBA 130-pound title courtesy of a unanimous decision win against Jazza Dickens in March. The win made Cacace a two-time junior lightweight titleholder.

Cacace also won the IBF crown in May 2024 by crushing Joe Cordina inside eight rounds. But Cacace vacated his title in January 2025, only to continue fighting in the division, beating Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood in subsequent bouts.

"Nick's a great fighter and ex-world champion who was beating them all, so I expect a good scrap. He's a hard man, so let's do it," Cacace said.

"I'll fight with him, I'll box him – whatever way he wants, so we'll see what happens on the night. I'm really looking forward to it.

"Belfast around Christmas time is going to be jumping, so I'm really looking forward to it."

WBA RULES ON CACACE-BALL SITUATION

The WBA has elevated Elnur Samedov to full WBA super featherweight champion, while Anthony Cacace has been given a "super champion" designation which he will be allowed to defend against Nick Ball.

The Cacace-Ball winner must face Samedov in a title consolidation bout that has take place on neutral territory. They will have 12 days after the fight to confirm their participation in the bout against Samedov.

Anthony Cacace now WBA 'super' champ at 140lbs; Elnur Samedov also elevated

The World Boxing Association (WBA) is to elevate both Anthony Cacace and Elnur Samedov in the junior lightweight class.

Cacace, previously the ‘world’ champion, is now the ‘super’ champion and Samedov, previously the ‘interim’ beltholder, is now the ‘world’ champion.

In essence, this is to allow Cacace to defend his title against Nick Ball in Belfast, Northern Ireland on December 19 rather than face punishment for not defending against Samedov, who was his mandatory at 130lbs.

“Subsequently, the winner of that bout will be required to defend the Super Championship against Elnur Samedov, who will hold champion status, in a mandatory bout,” wrote the WBA in their ‘resolution’ statement.

“The fight must take place in neutral territory, at a venue approved by all parties involved, and on a date to be determined by the WBA Championships Committee.

“The resolution further establishes that, once the bout between Cacace and his opponent [Ball] has concluded, the winner will have 12 days to confirm his participation in the mandatory bout against Samedov.”

Russia’s Samedov, 22-1 (11 KOs), last fought in June when he stopped John Lenon Gutierrez in 11 rounds. He is the latest in an increasingly long line of fighters to be awarded ‘world champion’ status without earning it in the ring.

Under the terms of this development, he will be permitted to defend his new title within the aforementioned timeframe.

In June, the WBA ordered a bout between Cacace and Samedov only for it to be rejected – when thought to be heading to Belfast – by the British Boxing Board of Control due to their current rules about Russian athletes competing in their jurisdiction.

Queensberry Promotions, promoter of Cacace, then requested special permission in August for the voluntary defense against Ball to be permitted while the mandatory situation was resolved.

Cacace, 25-1 (9 KOs), last fought in March when he won the belt by defeating James “Jazza” Dickens on points over 12 rounds.

WBA outlines title shenanigans for Anthony Cacace vs Nick Ball

The winner of Anthony Cacace vs Nick Ball in December has to fight Elnur Samedov afterwards

The WBA posted a resolution yesterday outlining the tomfoolery involved in Anthony Cacace’s December 19th super featherweight title defense against Nick Ball in Belfast.

Like me, you may have assumed that Cacace (25-1, 9 KO), who beat Jazza Dickens for the belt in March, was repeating his IBF tactics of ignoring his mandatory challenger in favor of big-money domestic tussles until the time came to ditch the belt. As it turns out, Queensberry attempted negotiations with secondary titlist Elnur Samedov (22-1, 11 KO) and aimed to stage the bout in Northern Ireland. Unfortunately,

The situation became more complicated when the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBC) rejected the request for Samedov to compete in the United Kingdom. The decision was subsequently upheld by the British authority after reviewing documentation related to the fighter’s citizenship and residency. As a result, negotiations between the two promoters were suspended.

The statement doesn’t elaborate on what went into “reviewing documentation.” Samedov was born in Azerbaijan but lives and fights out of Russia, which has not exactly endeared itself to its fellows in the international stage of late.

In an attempt to split the baby, the WBA will revive its “super” champion designation and shunt Cacace into the slot while simultaneously upgrading Samedov from “regular” to world titlist. Cacace still gets to fight Ball (23-1-1, 13 KO), but must then face Samedov “in neutral territory, at a venue approved by all parties involved, and on a date to be determined by the WBA Championships Committee.”

Sounds like way too many moving parts to me. Honestly wouldn’t be shocked to see Cacace bin another belt; he’s 37 and may not want to spend the last bit of his career anywhere but on the biggest stages.

https://www.wbaboxing.com/boxing-news/w ... t-division