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 face WBA super-featherweight title holder James ‘Jazza’ Dickens at the 3 Arena in Dublin on Saturday, aiming to become a two-time world titleholder. Cacace’s path to this opportunity has been anything but straightforward, plagued with injuries, fighter withdrawals and cancelled fights that threatened to derail his career entirely. Yet the ex-IBF champion persevered, working as a pizza delivery driver while training relentlessly, until his breakthrough came in May 2024 facing Joe Cordina in Saudi Arabia. Since winning that first world title, Cacace has beaten Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood, establishing himself as a formidable force in the division.

The Long Journey to Acceptance

Anthony Cacace’s path toward world championship contention stands as a testament to determination amid the odds. For the bulk of his professional career, the Belfast fighter stayed largely overlooked despite possessing undeniable talent. Physical setbacks derailed his progression at key points, while opponent withdrawals and eleventh-hour pullouts became an troubling trend that threatened to snuff out his championship dreams entirely. Through it all, Cacace would not relinquish his ambitions, balancing demanding workouts at Holy Trinity Boxing Club with evening shifts delivering pizzas to make ends meet. His firm belief that his moment would come in time kept him motivated during the darkest periods of setback and disappointment.

The pivotal moment came in May 2024 when Cacace got his long-anticipated opportunity on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk versus Tyson Fury in Riyadh, facing IBF champion Joe Cordina. Teamed up with his amateur coach Michael Hawkins and his team, Cacace took the chance with both hands, delivering a career-best performance that captured the IBF title. His victorious homecoming to Belfast was marked by a heroes’ reception and a mural painted near his Andersonstown home, cementing his status as a local sporting icon. 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 hampered Cacace’s early professional development consistently
• Worked as a pizza delivery worker while pursuing boxing dreams full-time
• Claimed IBF championship in May of 2024 facing Joe Cordina in Saudi Arabia
• Has since defeated Warrington and Wood, improving record to 24 victories

A Competitor’s Mindset Built Through Hardship

What Cacace takes into the 3 Arena on Saturday is something that cannot be taught in any training facility: the mental fortitude of a boxer who has endured prolonged setbacks and grown stronger for it. His path to world championship contention was anything but typical, yet it has equipped him with a toughness that few rivals possess. At 37 years old, Cacace recognizes the value of opportunities in boxing’s professional ranks. Each setback, each cancelled bout, each injury has served as preparation for moments precisely like this. His training team—Michael Hawkins Sr, Ruairi Dalton, Michael Hawkins Jr, and Barry O’Neill—understands this psychological edge and has built his preparation around maximizing it.

Speaking to BBC Sport NI during training sessions at Holy Trinity Boxing Club, Cacace’s philosophical approach 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 contest. “I’ve had my plenty of letdowns and pull-outs, but it’s all been in God’s plan,” he explained, reflecting on extended periods of disappointment transformed into drive. This outlook, born from real struggle rather than cliché, represents the mentality of a man who refuses to squander what may be his final opportunity at championship glory.

Dickens’ Journey to Prominence

Cacace’s opponent, Liverpool’s James ‘Jazza’ Dickens, understands this challenge intimately. The WBA titleholder has walked a similarly arduous path to world title contention, spending roughly 15 years climbing the professional ladder before finally achieving his breakthrough. Dickens fell short previously in fights for world titles at both super-bantamweight and featherweight, tasting the sting of loss when the championship looked within reach. These reverses could have defined his boxing career, yet much like Cacace, he pushed past the frustration and kept grinding toward his ultimate objective.

Dickens’ breakthrough occurred last July when he delivered a impressive display against 2020 Olympic gold medallist Albert Batyrgaziev to secure the ‘interim’ WBA title, which was subsequently elevated to undisputed championship status in December. This triumph represented the culmination of his long path and cemented him as a formidable title holder. Both fighters come in Dublin bearing the weight of their histories, having endured lengthy periods of disappointments before attaining championship level. This mutual recognition of hardship forges a compelling story where no competitor can assert superiority grounded in mental toughness alone.

Belief as the Foundation

At 37 years old, Anthony Cacace carries more than just boxing experience into the 3 Arena. Throughout his career, he has leaned heavily on spiritual conviction to keep him going through numerous setbacks. Injuries that should have ended his career, opponents who pulled out at critical times, and years spent delivering pizzas between training sessions could have undermined his commitment. Instead, Cacace transformed these hardships into fuel, viewing each setback as part of a bigger plan. This steadfast conviction in providence has become his greatest asset, a emotional cornerstone that sets him apart from fighters who might have succumbed to despair long ago.

This faith goes past personal resilience into his everyday training routine. Working alongside 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 place of genuine gratitude rather than desperation. He characterizes his present situation as “a dream come true,” a perspective that counterintuitively strengthens his competitive edge. Athletes operating from abundance rather than scarcity often perform with greater clarity and direction. For Cacace, the period of hardship have solidified into a single objective: seizing this opportunity to win his next championship belt before it’s too late.

• Cacace credits spiritual belief for supporting him through career setbacks and injuries
• His coaching team provides stability and mentorship throughout his championship preparation
• Gratitude rather than desperation shapes his mental approach entering Saturday’s title fight

Tradition and Innovation Come Together in Dublin

The 3 Arena in Dublin represents more than just a fighting arena for Anthony Cacace—it stands as the conclusion to a path that has challenged his determination at every turn. Saturday’s battle against WBA titleholder James ‘Jazza’ Dickens holds deep meaning more than the title at stake. For a fighter who spent years as a forgotten figure in boxing, grinding through obscurity while delivering pizzas between training, this moment means redemption. The mural painted near his Andersonstown home in Belfast after his IBF championship win in 2024 acts as a permanent reminder that his community never stopped believing, even when chances felt unreachable.

Cacace’s route to this championship rematch has been remarkably swift since his impressive triumph over Joe Cordina in Riyadh. Within eighteen months, he has beaten Josh Warrington at Wembley Stadium and Leigh Wood in Nottingham, proving himself as a real contender at super-featherweight. His record now stands at 24 wins with just one defeat, a statistic that downplays the quality of his recent performances. At 37, Cacace knows the window for championship glory closes with each fight. This Dublin encounter may be his last chance to carve his legacy permanently into boxing history as a two-time world champion.