James 'Jazza' Dickens is hoping it will be a case of third time lucky as he prepares to take on Lerato Dlamini for the vacant IBO world featherweight title this weekend.
Dickens was a national champion as an amateur but turned to the paid ranks in 2011 and has held the British and English super-bantamweight titles. However, when it comes to world titles, the 31-year-old has been left heartbroken on two separate occasions, after losing to Cuban great Guillermo Rigondeux and Kid Galahad, for the world super-bantam and featherweight crowns respectively.
Now Dickens faces the dangerous Dlamini at the Eventim Olympia on Saturday night, as part of a Probellum show that includes Peter McGrail’s hardest fight to date. Liverpool favourite Dickens knows there is no easy route back to the top of the division after last year’s world title attempt and the fight with Dlamini (18-1, 10KOs) comes on the back of April’s clash with former European champion Andoni Gago.
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Dickens (31-4, 12KOs) sparkled in front of his home fans that night, impressively stopping the Spaniard, and now the 31-year-old is hoping he will finally get his hands on a world crown.
“Third time lucky is what I was thinking to myself. But I just go into it the same way I do every fight. If it is God’s will, it is God’s will,” he told the ECHO ahead of the bout.
“I’ve just come off a world title fight myself and he is ranked in the top 10 in the world. It is nice that we have both got the chance.”
Dickens would put himself in the frame for further mega fights by winning this weekend, with clashes against Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood having already been mentioned.
But when asked about the prospect of fighting either one, Dickens was quick to shut down the talk and claimed it is currently 'pie in the sky' stuff.
He said: “It is pie in the sky. If you are focusing on that then you are a mad man. He’s trained for it, and I have trained for it. This is the fight now. Do what I have got to do to win this. Give it my all and put on a good show for Liverpool.”
'Jazza', who now trains under Peter Taylor in Dublin, has been preparing for the fight in the Irish city, and although he admits home comforts have been easy to find, he also believes there is no place like home.
“It was good and I didn’t realise how good it was going to be. Dublin is the right amount of Liverpool,” he said laughing. “I don’t know anyone and I’m locked away on my own. However, I am also around people who are just like Scousers.
“The only thing that changes really is the accent. When I come home I hear the accent of the people and I am like I have missed these people. I didn’t realise how much I missed some people until I got home. I’m looking forward to fighting for them on Saturday night.”
Tickets for Saturday's show have already sold out, although fight fans will be able to watch the action for free on probellum.com.
“Liverpool people love boxing. I think as well with this venue, it will be our version of the Liverpool Stadium from years ago,” Dickens replied when asked about the sell out.
“One day this place will be gone and people will be talking about this arena. We are lucky that we are still living in a time that allows us to fight in the Olympia. We can pack it out with Scousers and I’m very, very grateful to everybody who has come out to support me.
“Not only the Scousers, but the people who have travelled from far and wide, from other countries, to come and watch me as well. I’m just grateful to everybody.”
And even though he doesn't want to get too far ahead of himself, Dickens admits he has more than an eye on possibly fighting at Bramley-Moore Dock in the not so distant future.
“That is the dream, yeah. I think there are a lot of Everton fans and Everton fighters here in Liverpool so it could definitely happen,” he said.
“Myself and Peter, [fighting for] world titles. The sky's the limit and Everton are great in the community and do a lot of good community work.
“They do a lot of reaching out as well and they are the people’s club. I think Everton will get behind it, too. We just have to see where it goes.”
And when asked for a prediction ahead of Saturday's fight, Dickens sent a blunt warning to Dlamini, saying: “I was going to welcome him to Liverpool but now he’s going home with a bandage on his head!
"I see me getting my arm raised and getting this win in front of a crazy crowd here in Liverpool.”
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