James "Jazza" Dickens will have his work cut out for him Saturday night in Dublin, Ireland. That's when he defends his WBA 130 lb. world title in a hostile place against former world champ Anthony Cacace.
Coming up Saturday night James "Jazza" Dickens (36-5, 15 KOs) will put his WBA junior lightweight world title at stake against fellow former world champion, Anthony Cacace (24-1, 9 KOs) in a bout headlines a Queensberry Promotions card at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland and the action will stream live on DAZN.
The two fighters met with the media for the final time on Thursday in advance of what should be a highly entertaining battle.
Dickens captured his title in Istanbul, Turkey with a KO Albert Batyrgaziev in the fourth round last July. And, Dickens said of being considered the favorite, as the defending world champion,
"That’s just a mental thing [being world champion]. It’s not really like that. You sign up for a fight. You train to win. If anything, you get better, don’t you. You get more hungry and you want more and more. It’s not just a mentality from the outside looking in. When you become a champion, it doesn’t change nothing. You still have to go in there, win your own title back. It’s just the same for me.”
And, bigger, he knows this will be a challenge with the hard punching Cacace,
"Coach made me sit down and watch him. We watched three fights. He watched a few of his recent fights and [was] very, very impressed by his style of boxing. How he can box like a small man, he can box like a big man. He’s good at everything. We’re going to have to adapt to skills and also take our own. We’ve prepared to fight how we want to fight this fight and we’re looking forward to it. Was very excited to wear that first belt…”
You can hear insider Dan Rafael preview the Dickens-Cacace showdown off our "Big Fight Weekend Preview" podcast by clicking play below,
As for Cacace, he holds three significant wins in a row, including hammering England's Leigh Wood in a 9th round TKO last May. And, he will be fighting in front of a partisan Irish crowd, said Thursday,
“It’s another great opportunity presented to me and I aim to become a two-time world champion,” said Cacace. “Full respects to Jazza. He’s done it the hard way. Same way as I have. I’m just burning to go now, mate. I mean, I win this title I can go down as one of Ireland’s greatest ever fighters and that’s what’s motivating me in this one. Before, it was two years back.
I had absolutely nothing. Now I’ve won the IBO, the IBF, secured my [family]. I’ve done thing that I thought I couldn’t have and now I’m just focusing on legacy here now and try to become a two-time world champ.”
Will Dickens, who's tough, be able to withstand the hard punching Cacace in his atmosphere or will Cacace get another memorable KO in a world title contest?
We are about to find out.