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Billy Dib fights for world title in Tokyo

Billy Dib returns to our free-to-air TV screens to fight Takashi Miura. How will he fare in Japan? (Image: Facebook)
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10th March, 2015
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Australia’s former IBF featherweight world titlist Billy ‘The Kid’ Dib will challenge WBC junior lightweight (59kg) title holder Takashi Miura on May 1 in Tokyo for his title.

Dib, who holds top ten rankings in both the IBF and WBC, was in negotiations to face the IBF number one contender Jose Pedraza for the vacant IBF title but has broken those plans to face Miura instead.

Miura, ranked number two and three at junior lightweight by independent rankings, has made three defences of the WBC belt he took from Gamaliel Diaz in April 2013. The most memorable came in a 12-round war with Mexican power puncher Sergio Thompson where both fighters tasted the canvas before Miura prevailed on points.

Dib bounced back well in 2014 after a disappointing 2013. Reigning as the IBF’s featherweight champion, Dib was upset by unheralded Evgeny Gradovich by 12-round split decision. After struggling past Mike Oliver in a tune-up, Gradovich dominated Dib in their rematch, handing him his first stoppage loss in the ninth round.

‘The Kid’ has scored wins over Alberto Garza, Ruben Manakane and Isaias Santos Sampaio in 2014 since moving up in weight.

The junior lightweight division in Australia is strong at the moment, with former IBO junior lightweight title holder ‘Wild’ Will Tomlinson battling Francisco Vargas this weekend, headlining a show on the HBO Latino network. Another Australian, Kye ‘Frenzy’ McKenzie, is fighting for Tomlinson’s now vacant IBO junior featherweight title later this month.

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