BILLY “The Kid” Dib embodies a boxer’s spirit - to get up again and again no matter how hard the punches are thrown.
The Greenacre boxer currently trains at Lakemba gym, and first donned the gloves as a child as a way to work past his chronic asthma, but never could have seen the remedy would prove so successful.
The featherweight boxer has gone on to reach the top of his field, and is still aiming higher.
He won the IBO super featherweight title against South African boxer Zolani Marali in 2008, and went on to fight in the WBO featherweight championship only a few months afterwards.
Though he lost this fight to American boxer Steven Luevano - his first professional defeat in 22 bouts - he didn’t let this dampen his confidence.
He said to be fighting back-to-back world titles at 23 years of age indicated he had chosen the right path.
Dib’s self-belief was proven sound, as the loss remains his only professional loss from 39 bouts, with 19 KOs.
His career has continued skyward in the intervening years, and he is currently preparing for his bout for the IBF World Title against Mexican champion Jorge Lacierva on July 29.
Dib was born Bilal Dib to Lebanese immigrant parents at Sutherland Hospital on August 17 1985.
He had to spend the first six months of his life in an incubator to combat his asthma, and continued to battle the condition throughout his childhood.
Boxing came into his life at 12 as he took it up hoping the athleticisim and effort of the sport would help his lungs.
His amateur career also took him to the top of his field.
Dib won 98 of his 133 amateur bouts and was the Australian champion on three occasions, even being selected to train at the Australian Institute of Sport.
The 2004 Athens Olympics beckoned, but Dib was involved in a motorcycle accident and forced to halt his preparation.
He subsequently turned down an offer to represent Lebanon at the Olympics.
Dib said he thought of Australia as his home and didn’t want to have to fight a fellow Australian.
Soon afterwards, he made his move to the professional arena, debuting in 2004 as an 18-year-old after training with British boxer Naseem Hamed, who encouraged the switch.
Dib is currently the top-ranked featherweight boxer in Australia, and is 16th on the world stage.
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