Anthony Cacace will make the primary defence of his WBA super-featherweight world title in opposition to Nick Ball at The 02 in Belfast on 19 December.
The 37-year-old from Belfast received the title in March with a factors victory of James ‘Jazza’ Dickens in Dublin and can face one other Liverpool native in former featherweight champion Ball.
Cacace’s final battle in his dwelling metropolis occurred in Could 2023 with a defence of the IBO belt in opposition to Damian Wrzesinski on the undercard of Luis Alberto Lopez’s featherweight title victory over Michael Conlan.
Since then, he has received after which relinquished the IBF title earlier than turning into a two-time champion on the weight with victory over Dickens which noticed his report enhance to 25 wins with one loss.
“Nick’s a fantastic fighter, ex-world champion, so I anticipate scrap. He is a tough man, so let’s do it,” Cacace informed DAZN.
“I am going to battle with him, I am going to field him – no matter method he desires, so we’ll see what occurs on the evening. I am actually trying ahead to it.
“Belfast round Christmas time goes to be leaping, so I am trying ahead to it.”
Ball is coming off his first profession defeat when stopped within the remaining spherical by Brandon Figueroa in a defence of the WBA featherweight title in February.
The Liverpudlian received the title in 2024 with a factors verdict over Raymond Ford, three months after his first bid for world honours led to a draw in opposition to then-WBC champion Rey Vargas.
He fought on the identical Belfast card as Cacace in 2023 when stopping Ludumo Lamati, who suffered a stroke within the ring however has since recovered, and is relishing the possibility to turn out to be a two-weight champion.
“It is a huge alternative at a brand new weight,” stated Ball, whose report is 23-1-1.
“He is a stable champion, so it is going to be battle. I will be coming, he’ll be coming, so it is going to be one.”