What a load of crap...

Lewis is a ****ing embarrassment to boxing....atsch

Moment Billy Dib knew title was his


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By Christian Nicolussi
August 01, 2008 12:00am

BILLY Dib knew the exact moment he was about to become Australia's latest world boxing champion.
The 22-year-old Dib was gasping for air and nearly on his haunches in the ninth round of his IBO super-featherweight stoush with African Zolani Marali at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre late Wednesday.
Thinking his body had physically hit rock bottom, "Billy The Kid" suddenly laid eyes on the title belt just outside the ring.
"And as soon as I laid eyes on the belt, I thought to myself, 'I ain't leaving here without it'," said Dib, before going on to score what the judges thought was a unanimous points decision.
"I was being pushed down and, when I saw that belt, I remembered things I said in the lead-up to the fight like, 'I'd rather die than not win the belt'. Talk was cheap and I had to dig deep, go toe to toe and pull out everything."
But while Dib raised his fists in triumph after the judges awarded him the fight 116-114, 116-112 and 114-113, his rival was not as impressed.
In fact, Marali's camp yesterday fired in an official protest with the IBO, demanding they review the result and organise an immediate rematch.
Marali's promoter Rodney Berman said: "We will definitely take it up with the IBO because the whole world saw who won here."
Dib - who was given a count early in the fight, and at times found it difficult against the taller fighter with greater reach - felt he had done more than enough for the victory against the older Marali.
He added Marali's manager told him before the result: "Whoever gets the nod deserves the win."
Dib's trainer Johnny Lewis also felt there was no disputing the decision.
"I told Billy at the end of the eighth round to just hold his lead," Lewis said.
"I know he was tired but I feel he did enough to do that.
"In fact, I didn't think he needed to win the final round to get the result."atsch
Dib was able to stretch his record to 21 straight wins and, despite the protests from Marali, is now a chance of fighting on the undercard of Shane Mosley's September fight against Ricardo Mayorga in Los Angeles.
Mosley was in the crowd on Wednesday and told Dib he was a "warrior" after he overcame the early count.
The popular youngster, who dreamed of winning a world title when he first pulled on the gloves 10 years ago, yesterday relaxed in his granny flat at the back of his parents' Greenacre property.
He planned to celebrate the triumph with friends tonight.
Lewis, who has now overseen six world champions, said Dib had a huge future.
"With that fight now behind him, and the qualities he possesses, he'll be a very good fighter," Lewis said.:roll:
"I still think Billy is on a bit of a learning curve, and his opponents have to be matched appropriately, but with a solid 12 to 18 months, he'll be right up there with the best of them."
Dib had a huge supporter base in the Newcastle crowd, which included the likes of soccer star Mark Bosnich and Newcastle Knight Adam MacDougall, while Marali created a stir when he took an eternity to enter the ring dressed in a white mask which covered his entire face.