Jazza Dickens once told this writer that he “wouldn’t be able to sleep at night” if he ended his career without a world title. Numerous years later with plenty of personal and professional successes to shout about, Dickens’ stance remains the same.
This Saturday night, live exclusively on DAZN, Dickens’ concerns about night-time restlessness could be extinguished forever if he can claim the vacant IBF featherweight crown against old rival, Kid Galahad.
In 2013, down at super-bantamweight, Dickens and this weekend’s opponents competed for domestic honours and it was the Sheffield man who come out on top. Despite Galahad holding what many could say is a psychological advantage, Dickens says their first encounter will have no impact on what goes down on week two of Fight Camp.
“I don’t even see it as a rematch, as strange as that sounds,” revealed Dickens during a lengthy chat with DAZN. “So much has happened in both our careers since that fight and we’re both different fighters at a different weight today. I’m expecting a totally different Kid Galahad and I think that he’s expecting a different version of me.”
Dickens’ crusade to this lofty position, a level he was predicted to occupy, has not been without incident and drama. Arguably Liverpool’s best amateur during the prosperous 2010 season, Dickens neglected the opportunity to compete for further vested honours as he put all his energy and focus into the professional code.
The first bump endured against Galahad was later followed by consecutive losses against Guillermo Rigondeaux and Thomas Ward. Dickens’ profile appeared to be in freefall and a temporary move to America provided some memorable experiences, but not the shot of adrenaline required to galvanise his career.
“Whenever you lose, nobody is interested in you. I’ve seen that first hand. It’s a hard place to be in when you have no fights coming up and that was the position I was in. It was important that I didn’t forget why I started boxing and what my end goal was. I had to remind myself of that a few times.”
Resigned to small hall undercard appearances and even a spot on a show in the Dominican Republic, an event where Dickens had to bring his bag to the ring with him so that it wouldn’t be stolen from him, Jazza desperately needed exposure.
A plea to Tony Bellew, the former cruiserweight world champion seeking purpose in retirement, brought Dickens a new manager who had experience in refusing to give up on his ultimate ambition.
Before halting Junior Makabu in front of a packed Goodison Park, Bellew was unsure whether his big moment would arrive as he spent the previous year before his world title fight appearing on undercards. Since joining forces, Dickens’ career is approaching the heights many prophesised for him many years ago.
“The moment I heard him in the dressing room with Craig Glover, I wanted him to be my manager,” revealed Dickens on the reason why he desperately wanted Bellew to guide his career. “Look at the results we’ve had since. I’ve won the Golden Contract and I’m one win away from becoming world champion. The thing I’ve always dreamed of.”
If Dickens does achieve his desired fulfilment on Saturday night, then what comes next for the Liverpool man? Opportunities should be plentiful at home and abroad, but for a man who only wanted to become world champion, where does he go once his quest is complete?
“I set a new goal and I stick to that. My current goal is one I’ve had since I was young kid and it’s been with me all my life and I’m so close to it. I’ve sacrificed so much and given absolutely everything to get here and now it’s up to me to give a some more and become world champion.
“I didn’t give up once during the hard parts of my career and here I am facing the first man to ever beat me in a fight where I can become world champion. I’ve got two big opportunities here. One to beat the first man to beat me and the other is to become world champion. Two opportunities, and I’m going to take both of them.”