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Dib calls it a career after defeat by Farmer

Brendan Jones new author
Roar Rookie
4th August, 2018
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Billy Dib. (AAP Image/Warren Clarke)
Brendan Jones new author
Roar Rookie
4th August, 2018
3

Billy “the Kid” Dib has ended his career in the ring on Friday night after he was defeated by American opponent Tevin Farmer for the IBF super-featherweight title in Sydney.

The former IBF featherweight and IBO super-featherweight champion entered the ring on Friday with a do-or-die attitude regarding his first title fight since 2015. Dib made it clear that in the lead up to the fight that if he lost he would retire.

In brutal battle, Dib was outclassed by the American from the get-go and was floored by a perfect left hand to the face in the ninth. Despite Dib’s legendary trainer and former world champion Jeff Fenech wanting to throw in the towel after the bell at the ninth, Dib pushed on as he wanted to leave everything in the ring and leave nothing to chance.

Needing a knockout to claim victory Dib did apply some pressure to Farmer, but it would not be enough for the Aussie fighter to earn the title that other Australian fighters such as Lester Ellis (1985), Barry Michael (1985), Robbie Peden (2005) and Gairy St Clair (2006) had the honour of wearing.

After the final bell, Farmer was declared the winner with the judges’ scorecards reading 118-109, 119-108, 120-107 all in his favour.

Dib was emotional in his post-fight interview, holding back the tears and claiming that he is now retired from the sport and is looking forward to the next chapter of his life.

Dib should be extremely proud of his career, as at only 22 years of age he was world champion when he won the IBO super-featherweight title back in 2008. He also contended for the WBO featherweight title against Steve Luevano the same year and in 2011 won the IBF featherweight title, holding it for two years with three successful title defences.

That was two world championships before the age of 26, which is amazing. Of his near fifty fights in the ring, he boasted 43 wins, nine world title fights with several different governing bodies, (IBO, WBO, IBF and WBC) and two world championships. All of his five losses in the ring were world title fights.

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Although Dib did not receive that mainstream media attention that the likes of Anthony Mundine, Danny Green or Jeff Horn have received in their careers, there is little denying that his career is certainly in the top ten or 15 of Aussie boxers.

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