The Liverpool fighter makes the first defence of his WBA strap against Anto Cacace at Dublin's 3Arena next month, live on DAZN.

Previously the interim belt holder, Dickens was elevated after Lamont Roach Jr. moved weight in December to achieve his dream.

Now however, as he prepares to put his crown on the line for the first time, he has outlined ambitions to push for unification bouts.

The Ring

"There's a difference between being a world champion, and the world champion," he told Sky Sports News. "I want to be the world champion."

"When I was a kid growing up, we all loved Rocky. For me, it was Rocky IV. I always wanted to have 100 fights and win a world title.

"I've seen a picture of John Conteh on the wall the first day I ever went into a boxing gym and I said, 'I want to win a world title like him'.

"I was thinking, all I ever wanted to do in life was to call myself a world champion. I'm very blessed to be in this position right now."

Dickens chasing dream after long road to summit

DAZN News correspondent Andrew Steel

Nobody can accuse Jazza Dickens of resting on his laurels, with the star headlong into a title defence he enters as the outsider.

But the Merseyside star is used to being the underdog after a long road to the summit of the sport, with plenty of heartbreak on the way.

Almost a decade-and-a-half after turning pro, he finally achieved his dream when Lamont Roach's full departure from the division was confirmed.

Having already seen one defence scratched due to injury - he was due to face Hayato Tsutsumi last year - Dickens now turns to another.

Anto Cacace is the favourite, and perhaps with good reason. But you can bet the champion, chasing a new dream of his own, will come out swinging.

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