“I’ve been beating the British for three years now,” Cacace told Boxing News after the fight.
The Belfast fighter listed several of the names he faced during that time, including former world champions Joe Cordina, Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood, along with Dickens.
Cacace said the fights should put him firmly in position for bigger matches against the top names at 130 pounds.
“How much more do I have to beat before I can get this type of opportunity?” Cacace said.
The 36-year-old’s latest victory added another title to his record and continued a career revival that has come against experienced opposition rather than prospects or rebuilding fighters.
That run has now shifted attention to potential unification fights.
Cacace named IBF and WBO champion Emanuel Navarrete as one of the opponents he wants to face next.
Navarrete holds two of the division’s belts and remains one of the most established champions in the weight class, making a fight between the two a natural step if it can be arranged. This would be an ideal fight for Cacace to prove himself against a guy who is considered the #1 at 130 by many fans.
For Cacace, the argument is simple. After years of being household names in British boxing, he believes the next phase of his career should come against the fighters who currently hold the other titles in the division.
Whether those opportunities materialize remains to be seen, but Cacace has made it clear he believes his recent run has already earned him a shot at the biggest fights available.
