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Cacace vs Dickens WBA Super-Featherweight title, 14th March Dublin Dublin

  • 03-01-2026 05:50PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,139 ✭✭✭


    Announced a few days ago, that Anthony Cacace will face Jazza Dickens at the 3 Arena for his WBA Super-Featherweight title.

    The main support on the undercard is Pierce O'Leary vs Mark Chamberlain for the vacant IBO Super-Lightweight title.

    I have to say I love both of these fights. While I'd favour the home fighter in both cases, they're genuinely dangerous fights against meaningful opposition and should either Irish fighter win and tickets sell well, we'll likely see more big shows on the island.

    Dickens is technically quite good and looked strong and powerful in his last fight to capture the belt. His punch resistance at times has been questionable, although that's generally been at weights he's struggling to make, so he may hold a shot better at Super-Featherweight.
    Cacace does hit very hard, and he's in incredible form recently with some really impressive wins, I think he'll stop Dickens.

    O'Leary has been pretty impressive at times, but I thought he was poor in his European title win, and was lucky the opposition was on the lower end for that scale of bout. Chamberlain is decent, fighting to a draw for the British and Commonwealth titles in his last fight and will be a good step up for O'Leary to see where he's at. I think O'Leary pulls through but in a close fight.



Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,282 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Cacace I think ploughs through Jazza..

    O’Leary is just very ordinary. Could be tripped up here



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,139 ✭✭✭Big Ears


    Cacace definitely could steamroll him, with the ability he has and power he carries. However Dickens performance in his last fight, plus beaten Zelda Barrett in the fight before that, makes it a potentially dangerous one, particularly at Cacace's age, things can just start to go.

    O'Leary does some really nice stuff at times, putting flowing combos together from head to body, pivoting to the side to open up additional shots, he has a lovely counter uppercut on him too, so I don't think it's right to just call him ordinary.

    But I will admit those flashes of talent are interspersed with a lot of nothing, and often standing in front of his opponent not doing much. If he can develop a little further he could have real potential, but Chamberlain will be a tough test.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,282 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    at SLW he is very ordinary. He has beaten nobody yet. I just don’t see that zip/speed and intensity. Very pedestrian. And actually should not be fighting above 135 lbs



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,139 ✭✭✭Big Ears


    Jono Carroll vs Colm Murphy announced for the undercard, for the IBO Super-Featherweight title. UK promoters seem to be using the IBO belt now similar to how the WBU was used in the 00's.

    It's an interesting fight, but strange one at the same time. Colm Murphy is in a Featherweight title fight at the end of this month, and that fight is still going ahead. However his opponent is a Tanzanian with a mediocre record, so it's more understandable while they're keeping the date. They'll expect to bank the Commonwealth belt, and then get a free shot at the IBO up at 130, probably hoping Carroll is a little over the hill.

    Gary Cully, Thomas Carty, Steven Cairns, Eoghan Lavin, Bobbi Flood (talented amateur making his debut) are some of the names on the undercard. Nice to see mostly Irish talent filling out the card.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,282 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    It’s laughable that they’re trying to sell the Carroll fight as a world title. IBO..😖

    Murphy is crude and lacks polish, but tall, fit as a fiddle and gets pop in his punches. He’s also younger and fresher. He’ll start as favorite.

    Cully waffling about wanting to get back to high level operating, as if he was even close to it to begin with



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,139 ✭✭✭Big Ears


    This one's on tomorrow and it really is a solid card.

    Chamberlain was replaced a few weeks ago by Maxi Hughes, which should be just as tough a prospect for him. He might be 36 and a small enough Lightweight, nevermind 140'er, but Hughes has fought and been successful at a way higher level than O'Leary so far, so it should be interesting.

    As Walshb predicted above, Murphy is indeed favourite (narrowly) over Carroll, but again Carroll has operated at a much, much higher level and it's a serious step up for Murphy, aswell as a step up in weight.

    You also have Steven Cairns and Eoghan Lavin on the undercard in their toughest assignments to date against fighters who'll be coming to win.

    I know what you're saying about Cully Walshb, and he'll never win a World title, but he did comfortably beat Patera who was a solid European champion, and Belmedhi who fought for a European title in his last fight. I think a European title is exactly what Cully should be targeting.

    Looking forward to this !



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,282 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Cully in now. Incredibly weak opponent..Cully at 142 lbs here

    Looking forward to Cabra’s Bobbi Flood making his debut



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 60,282 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    Flyin' through the fights…Cully not even left the ring and the next boxer on his way to the ring



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