By Ray Wheatley — World of Boxing
Photos: Peter Mcdermont
IBF featherweight champion Billy “The Kid” Dib (35-1, 21 KOs) outpointed Juan Antonio Rodriguez (21-3, 19 KOs) in a non-title ten round bout at the Orion Function Center, Campsie, Sydney, NSW, Australia on Friday. The scores were David Grainger 99-92, George Pellis 98-92, John Guachi 97-94. Dib used clever footwork and hand speed to win most of the rounds against the aggressive Mexican who came to fight. Dib suffered a cut over the left eye in round four and the right eye in round ten that were compliments of accidental head clashes. Southpaw Rodriguez displayed a solid chin and also had good power but had trouble on connecting with the elusive IBF champion. Rodriguez previous loss came in 2011 in a WBC Youth title bout when he dropped a decision to Eusebio Osejo. Dib captured the IBF title in 2011 by outscoring Mexican Jorge Lacierva and stopped Alberto Servedei and Eduardo Escobedo in IBF title bouts.
WBO#3 featherweight Joel Brunker (23-0, 13 KOs) was extended by Mexico’s Edgar Riovalle (34-14-1, 24 KOs) in a non stop action bout over eight rounds. Brunker and Riovalle went toe-to-toe in all the rounds with Brunker suffering a cut over the right eye in round six which the doctor inspected and ruled okay to continue on two ocassions. Riovalle suffered a cut over left eye in round eight. The Mexican had superior power to the Australian but Brunker outworked his opponent in most of the rounds. Brunker remains on course for a Dib vs Brunker all Australian showdown for the IBF title.
Super featherweight Billel Dib (9-0, 4 KOs) was awarded a ten round decision and captured the Australian title in the toughest fight of his career against Korean born and Australian based Hwi-Jong Kim (5-6, 1 KO). Kim won the early rounds as he connected with accurate combinations consistently on Dib. After a pep talk in between rounds by his trainer Billy Hussein – Dib stepped up a gear to win the late rounds and also the decision. Scores 97-94, 98-93, 99-92.
Top Rank super featherweight Paul “2 Gunz” Fleming (15-0, 11KOs) stopped Kondej Sithtrajtrakan (19-20, 7KOs) in round two. Fleming is managed by Cameron Dunkin of Top Rank. Fleming is a former Beijing Olympian with amateur record (83-17).
Promoter Billy Hussein. Televised throughout Australia on Foxtel Cable television Network.
