Cacace won a gruelling battle on all three scorecards, 115-113 116-113 116-112, to etch his name into history at the 3Arena.
After a feeling out process in round one, Dickens found some success in a slightly busier second round.
Cacace shaded the third after catching the Scouser on multiple occasions, in the high tempo affair, as chants of ‘Ohhh Anto Cacace’ rang around the 3Arena.
After a tight fourth round, Cacace moved up a gear and nearly stopped Dickens with multiple vicious combinations and smart boxing, and the scouser did well to survive.
Dickens face began to show wear and Cacace began landing vicious right hands to the body as the halfway point came and went.
As the fight grew on, Dickens slowed Cacace’s momentum and began finding some success of his own, as the man known as ‘Apache’ began to miss.
Katie Taylor at Fight Night at the 3 Arena, Dublin, Ireland. Photo: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney
After losing the momentum, Cacace began to push the pressure again in the 11th, with the Scouse fans making themselves heard throughout.
Both men gave it their all in the final round of a gruelling contest, but Cacace had his hand raised.
The 37-year-old called for unification fights as Frank Warren called it an Irish renaissance, on a great night of Irish boxing.
Earlier, Pierce O’Leary took the roof off the 3Arena, stopping Maxi Hughes on the stool in round five to become the new IBO super lightweight champion.
O’Leary made a chilling ring walk just 400 yards from his home and he produced a world class performance to win his first world title with Katie Taylor watching on.
Adam Olaniyan made light work of his debut in the heavyweight division at the 3Arena.
Shortly before his bout Katie Taylor made her way to ringside to a massive reaction, and Olaniyan made his entrance and 59 seconds it was over.
The decorated amateur boxer looked sharp has he picked apart Jan Bezouska in less than a minute.
Jono Carroll picked up the IBO super-featherweight title with a closely-contested split decision win over Colm Murphy in Dublin.
Two judges scored it 116-112, with one favouring Carroll and one favouring Colm Murphy, but a third judge scored it 117-111 to ‘King Kong’.
It was a war of attrition between two fighters who refused to take step back from the centre.
Bobbi Flood got his professional debut off to an electric start with a destructive first‑round knockout of Belle Istvan Orban.
The man known as “The Flash” made his walkout to a raucous home crowd, and the Cabra native wasted no time getting them on their feet, sending Orban to the canvas inside the opening 20 seconds.
The Hungarian was okay to continue, but another pinpoint flurry of shots sent him to the canvas for a second time — and that was enough, as the referee waved it off and the crowd, including 400 of Flood’s own fans, went wild.
There were also dominant returns to the ring for Gary Cully in the 140lb division and Thomas Carty, who made a big comeback to the heavyweight division after a year out.
Carty and Cully both earned decisive unanimous-decision victories.
“The Irish takeover” Steven Cairns continued the feelgood factor in the 3Arena, as the Corkman took home WBA Continental Lightweight belt.
Action from the BUI Celtic Middleweight clash between Eóghan Walsh and Liam Walsh in Fight Night at the 3 Arena, Dublin. Photo: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney
Action from the BUI Celtic Middleweight clash between Eóghan Walsh and Liam Walsh in Fight Night at the 3 Arena, Dublin. Photo: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney
Cairns knocked down Arnie Dawson three times in the ninth round.
Eóghan Walsh was crowned the new BUI Celtic Middleweight champion, defeating Liam Walsh in an eight-round back and forth war.
Flood was overcome with emotion after a brilliant performance, paying tribute to his late mother.
“When I walked up them steps and ‘Stand By Me’ came on. Everyone was singing it, and then it remixed and everyone just went nuts, I’m speechless,” he said.
“I hit him with a few jabs and caught him, then I said to myself, ‘let’s unleash this lead hook-back hand combo and it caught him flush.
“My mam would be beyond proud of me and my Granddad as well. Thanks to my team, Anto and Sunny, and my girlfriend.
“My dad’s been my coach and in my corner my whole life. I can’t wait to watch this card and enjoy my birthday now.”