Anthony Cacace will make the first defence of his WBA super-featherweight world title against Nick Ball at Belfast's SSE Arena (referred to in the article as "The 02") on 19 December, in a rare homecoming fight for the 37-year-old champion. The bout matters as a genuine crossroads clash between two Liverpool-linked fighters at differing career moments: Cacace is riding high as a two-time world champion, while Ball is looking to bounce back from the first defeat of his career and become a two-weight world champion.

Cacace, from Belfast, won the WBA title in March with a points win over James "Jazza" Dickens, improving his record to 25-1, and last fought in his home city back in May 2023. Ball, from Liverpool, held the WBA featherweight title after beating Raymond Ford in 2024 but lost it in February when stopped in the final round by Brandon Figueroa, leaving his record at 23-1-1; he previously fought on the same Belfast card as Cacace in 2023.