Billy Dib on Channel 9 exposure, fighting for the WBC title
THE stage has been set.
If Billy Dib (39-3, 23 KOs) can dethrone reigning WBC super featherweight champion Takashi Miura (28-2-2, 21 KOs) on May 1st, he will do it in front of his biggest Australian television audience.
In a remarkable turn of events, Channel 9 has agreed to broadcast Dib’s world title challenge live from the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.
The twelve-round fight will be the first world title contest the broadcaster has aired in twenty-five years.
“I am feeling very happy and I believe that this is not only good for me, but good for the sport of boxing, which has helped many kids keep their life on track.” said Dib in an interview with Aus-Boxing.
“I guess this has reinforced what I have always preached, which is to never give up. Each time you get knocked down – get back up – and have another go,”
“God willing, I can inspire my fans with a gutsy victory on May 1st,”
“I am very grateful to Channel 9 for showing faith in me and the sport that I dearly love,” Dib added. “David Gyngel and my brother Emaid have worked hard to put this together and I hope the country gets behind it,”
The journey back to a world title is a testament to Dib’s longevity and staying power, given that he has been in world title contention for the best part of eight years.
For Dib, 29, there is an element of revenge to this fight, with influential Australian boxing icon Jeff Fenech arguably winning his first attempt at the same title in 1991, only to be given a suspect drawn verdict.
Fenech unsuccessfully challenged for the title a further time, losing in eight one-sided rounds in the ill-fated rematch with Azumah Nelson. Indigenous icon Lionel Rose also lost a competitive decision for the same title, dropping a fifteen-round unanimous decision to Yoshiaki Numata in 1971.
“I am fighting for the very title that Jeff Fenech got robbed for and I believe at the time our whole country felt like they were robbed,” continued Dib. “It’s time for that title to come home,”
Having fought at some of the most iconic venues in the sport as well as being in some legitimately big fights, it would be understandable for Dib to see the Miura test as another day at the office.
However, when quizzed about the importance of this fight, Dib highlighted just how much this fight means to him.
“Looking back at my career I have been really blessed,” said Dib in closing. “Fighting in venues like Madison Square Garden and the MGM Grand has been a dream come true,”
“But to me, this fight rates as the biggest. I have had to dig deep and work hard to put my self in this position and when you do that it feels so much sweeter,”
“But I could not have put myself in this position if it wasn’t for my team who have always believed in me,”
Photo: Provided
