From Forgotten Fighter to Championship Glory Cacace Seeks Second Crown

Anthony Cacace is one victory away from reclaiming world championship glory. The 37-year-old Belfast boxer will challenge WBA super-featherweight title holder James ‘Jazza’ Dickens at the 3 Arena in Dublin on Saturday, seeking to become a two-time world titleholder. Cacace’s path to this opportunity has been far from straightforward, marked by injuries, opponent withdrawals and cancelled fights that risked derail his career entirely. Yet the ex-IBF champion pushed forward, working as a delivery driver while training relentlessly, until his breakthrough came in May 2024 against Joe Cordina in Saudi Arabia. Since winning that maiden world title, Cacace has defeated Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood, establishing himself as a formidable force in the division.

The Extended Path to Acknowledgment

Anthony Cacace’s path toward world championship contention serves as a testament to perseverance against the odds. For the majority of his professional career, the Belfast fighter stayed largely overlooked despite possessing undeniable talent. Injuries hampered his progression at crucial moments, while cancellations by opponents and sudden cancellations became an unfortunate pattern that threatened to snuff out his championship dreams completely. Through it all, Cacace declined to abandon his ambitions, balancing demanding workouts at Holy Trinity Boxing Club with night shifts working pizza delivery to make ends meet. His steadfast conviction that his moment would come in time kept him focused during the most difficult times of disappointment and frustration.

The pivotal moment came in May 2024 when Cacace got his long-awaited opportunity on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk versus Tyson Fury in Riyadh, opposing IBF champion Joe Cordina. Reunited with his amateur coach Michael Hawkins and his team, Cacace took the chance with both hands, producing a career-best performance that won the IBF title. His victorious homecoming to Belfast was highlighted by a hero’s welcome and a mural painted near his Andersonstown home, solidifying his status as a local sports legend. Since that defining moment, Cacace has continued his impressive run, beating Josh Warrington at Wembley Stadium and Leigh Wood in Nottingham, establishing himself as a legitimate championship contender.

• Injuries and opponent withdrawals disrupted Cacace’s early career progression consistently
• Worked as a pizza delivery worker while pursuing boxing dreams full-time
• Won the IBF title in May 2024 facing Joe Cordina in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Has subsequently defeated Warrington and Wood, improving record to 24 victories

A Competitor’s Mindset Forged Through Adversity

What Cacace carries into the 3 Arena on Saturday is something that cannot be learned in any training facility: the mental fortitude of a fighter who has survived extended disappointment and come out stronger for it. His path to world championship contention was far from conventional, yet it has equipped him with a toughness that few rivals possess. At 37 years old, Cacace understands the precious nature of opportunities in boxing’s professional ranks. Each setback, each cancelled bout, each injury has acted as preparation for moments exactly like this. His training team—Michael Hawkins Sr, Ruairi Dalton, Michael Hawkins Jr, and Barry O’Neill—understands this psychological advantage and has designed his preparation to capitalize on it.

Speaking to BBC Sport NI during practice sessions at Holy Trinity Boxing Club, Cacace’s thoughtful perspective to his career becomes evident. He views his long struggle not as wasted time but as part of a greater design, a belief that fuels his confidence heading into this fight. “I’ve had my fair share of letdowns and pull-outs, but it’s all been in God’s plan,” he explained, reflecting on extended periods of disappointment transformed into motivation. This outlook, born from real struggle rather than cliché, represents the mentality of a man who refuses to squander what may be his last chance at title glory.

Dickens’ Path to Prominence

Cacace’s opponent, Liverpool’s James ‘Jazza’ Dickens, comprehends this challenge intimately. The WBA champion has followed a comparably difficult path to world title contention, taking approximately 15 years ascending the professional ranks before eventually attaining his major breakthrough. Dickens previously fell short in world-title fights at both super-bantamweight and featherweight divisions, enduring the sting of loss when championship gold seemed within reach. These disappointments could have shaped his boxing career, yet similar to Cacace, he worked through the frustration and kept grinding toward his ultimate objective.

Dickens’ turning point occurred in July when he delivered a impressive performance against 2020 Olympic gold medallist Albert Batyrgaziev to secure the ‘interim’ WBA title, which was later upgraded to full championship status in December. This triumph marked the pinnacle of his long path and cemented him as a formidable title holder. Both competitors arrive in Dublin carrying the burden of their experiences, having endured lengthy periods of setbacks before attaining title level. This mutual recognition of adversity creates a compelling story where neither fighter can claim dominance grounded in psychological strength alone.

Belief as Foundation

At 37 years old, Anthony Cacace carries far more than boxing experience into the 3 Arena. Throughout his career, he has depended significantly on spiritual conviction to support him through countless disappointments. Career-threatening injuries, opponents who withdrew at crucial moments, and lengthy periods delivering pizzas between training sessions could have shattered his determination. Instead, Cacace converted these struggles into fuel, seeing every obstacle as part of a greater purpose. This unwavering belief in providence has become his most valuable strength, a mental foundation that distinguishes him from fighters who might have given in to discouragement long ago.

This faith goes past personal resilience into his everyday training routine. Collaborating with his training staff at Holy Trinity Boxing Club—Michael Hawkins Sr, his son Michael Jr, Ruairi Dalton, and Barry O’Neill—Cacace operates from a sense of true appreciation rather than urgency. He describes his present situation as “a dream come true,” a viewpoint that counterintuitively strengthens his competitive edge. Fighters working from abundance rather than scarcity often compete with improved focus and direction. For Cacace, the years of struggle have solidified into a single objective: seizing this opportunity to claim his next championship belt before it’s too late.

• Cacace credits faith for sustaining him through professional challenges and injuries
• His coaching staff provides guidance and support throughout his championship preparation
• Gratitude rather than desperation shapes his mental approach entering the Saturday championship bout

Tradition and Innovation Meet in Dublin

The 3 Arena in Dublin symbolizes more than just a boxing venue for Anthony Cacace—it marks the end result of a path that has tested his resolve at every turn. The upcoming clash against WBA champion James ‘Jazza’ Dickens carries profound significance beyond the belt at stake. For a boxer who spent years as an overlooked name in the sport, working through obscurity while delivering pizzas between training, this moment represents vindication. The mural painted near his Andersonstown home in Belfast following his IBF championship win in 2024 functions as a lasting testament that his community kept faith, even when openings seemed impossibly distant.

Cacace’s journey to this championship rematch has been impressively quick since his impressive triumph over Joe Cordina in Riyadh. Within eighteen months, he has defeated Josh Warrington at Wembley Stadium and Leigh Wood in Nottingham, establishing himself as a genuine force at super-featherweight. His record now reflects 24 wins with just one defeat, a statistic that fails to capture the quality of his recent performances. At 37, Cacace understands the window for championship glory shrinks with every bout. This Dublin encounter may constitute his final opportunity to secure his place permanently into boxing history as a repeat world champion.