Liverpool’s Jazza Dickens is targeting a return to the top of the super-featherweight division as he prepares to face unbeaten Ryan Garner for the WBC interim title in Bournemouth on January 9, 2027.
Dickens has never been one to shy away from a challenge, and the former WBA super-featherweight champion is ready to put himself straight back in the world title picture when he meets Southampton’s Ryan Garner early next year.
The 35-year-old Liverpudlian, who boasts a professional record of 37 wins, six defeats and 15 knockouts, will head to Bournemouth under no illusions at the task at hand, but fully confident he will have his hand raised. .
Garner, the unbeaten WBC interim title-holder, represents another major test for Dickens, who has built a career on taking on all comers. With the super-featherweight division becoming increasingly competitive at the top, victory could open the door to some enormous opportunities in 2027.
Dickens knows exactly what is at stake. He has already reached the summit of the sport and he is determined to return.
“Of course, any fight that’s not a world title fight is with the intention of a world title,” Dickens told Irish Boxing Digest. “We’re close but have to be fully focused on this fight.”
From Istanbul glory to Dublin heartbreak
Dickens’ rise to world championship level reached its peak in July 2025, when he travelled to Istanbul and produced one of the performances of his career.
Standing opposite him was unbeaten Russian Albert Batyrgaziev, an accomplished fighter who entered the contest with a formidable reputation. Dickens, however, had other ideas, stopping Batyrgaziev in the fourth round to capture the WBA super-featherweight title.
It was a remarkable achievement for the Liverpool veteran, who proved that experience, determination and ring intelligence could overcome even the most highly regarded opposition.
His reign, though, would prove short-lived.
In Dublin last March, Dickens defended against Belfast favourite Anthony Cacace in front of a passionate crowd at the 3Arena. Cacace emerged victorious on points in a close fight, bringing Dickens’ time as champion to an end.
Now eight months on, the Liverpool fighter reflects on that night with mixed emotions. While the occasion remains special, the personal circumstances surrounding the bout made it an especially difficult.
“The Cacace fight was a great event but looking back I don’t remember much, it was all a blur,” Dickens explained. “I lost a loved one in the build-up and had to see it through.”
Dickens continues:
“There were lessons learned in and out of the ring and an experience both in boxing and life. But I’ll always carry the memory of coming out to a packed 3Arena. The Dubs showed me the best support I’ve ever had in any fight.”
Despite the disappointment of losing his championship, Dickens remains grateful for the reception he received in Dublin, where the support of the Irish boxing public made a lasting impression.
Now though, his attention turns to the next chapter.
Garner presents another dangerous challenge
He will be facing Ryan Garner, who himself will be determined to use this opportunity to establish himself among the leading names in the division. Fighting on home soil, he will have the majority of the support but that wont phase Dickens.
The Liverpudlian has already demonstrated that he can defeat an unbeaten fighter on the biggest stage, with his stunning victory over Batyrgaziev serving as a reminder of what he can achieve when the stakes are highest.
Asked what he makes of Garner and where he believes the advantages lie, Dickens was respectful but confident.
“He’s a good fighter. But I believe in myself against any man. My hard work, dedication, skill and IQ will be the deciding factors.”
That self-belief has been a defining feature of Dickens’ career. He understands the challenge ahead but is equally aware of the qualities that have carried him to world championship glory before.
And if anyone expects him to be worried by Garner’s unbeaten record, they are mistaken.
“I don’t look at fighters’ records. I don’t even watch much boxing, he’s fighting me and it’s irrelevant. Man versus man, it doesn’t need complicating.”
It is a straightforward assessment from a fighter who prefers to focus on his own preparation rather than the accolades attached to his opponent.
With a world title opportunity on the line, Dickens will need to bring all his experience and ring craft to Bournemouth. Garner’s youth and unbeaten record make him a formidable opponent, but the former champion has already shown that he can rise to the occasion against the very best.
A division full of opportunity
The stakes surrounding Dickens versus Garner become even more significant when considering the wider landscape of the super-featherweight division.
Former foe Anthony Cacace is scheduled to defend his title against Liverpool’s Nick Ball in December. Meanwhile, American O’Shaquie Foster has strengthened his position at the top of the division by defeating Mexico’s Emanuel Navarrete on points to unify the WBC, IBF and WBO titles.
With multiple championship belts concentrated among a small group of elite fighters, the division is entering an intriguing period. For the winner of Dickens versus Garner, the rewards could extend well beyond an interim championship.
A victory could put the winner in contention for a shot at Cacace, Ball or Foster, depending on how the coming months unfold and which championship opportunities become available.
Asked whether Cacace and Foster represent his targets if he comes through the Garner fight successfully, Dickens made his ambitions perfectly clear.
“Yes, after being world champion you either decide to go one better or take the money fights. My goal is to become undisputed. The lay of the land looks great right now. Fair play to the men who’ve made it happen.”
unfinished business
At 35, Dickens knows that opportunities at the highest level cannot be taken for granted. His experience, resilience and proven ability to upset the odds could all prove valuable against Garner, but he must first navigate a dangerous opponent who will be equally determined to win.
The January 9 contest is therefore about more than an interim title. It is a chance for Dickens to demonstrate that his Istanbul triumph was not the high point of a career, but just another step in a continuing journey towards the very top.
With Cacace, Foster and maybe Vasyl Lomachenko all part of the championship picture, the prize awaiting the winner could hardly be more appealing.
For Dickens to keep his world title dreams alive, the goal is simple: to win against the odds, and that is something Jazza Dickens has done his whole life.
Jazza Dickens vs Ryan Garner takes place in Bournemouth on January 9, 2027, promoted by Frank Warrens Queensberry Promotions.
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