Cancer the strongest opponent I have ever defeated, says boxing champ Billy Dib

After 25 years in the boxing ring, Billy Dib was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Since finishing treatment, he has published a memoir.

In October 2022, Australian-Lebanese boxing champion Billy Dib was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Credit: Billy Dib

Key Points

• Australian-Lebanese boxing champ Billy Dib was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2022.
• He's enjoyed a successful 25-year boxing career.
• After being declared cancer-free, he published a memoir entitled 'A True Heart: The Fights of My Life'.

"Whenever my parents visited me in the hospital, I would always say it might be the last time we saw each other,” Billy Dib shares with SBS Arabic24.

In October 2022, the Australian-Lebanese boxing champion was diagnosed with stomach cancer while he was at the height of his sports career.

"This news hit me hard since I was just starting out in life at 36 years old.

"Initially, I was upset and did not want to [go through] chemotherapy because of the memories I had of my wife, Sarah, who [had cancer and] died during chemotherapy," Dib says.

"Initially, I was upset and did not want to [go through] chemotherapy because of the memories I had of my wife, Sarah, who [had cancer and] died during chemotherapy." Credit: Billy Dib

Dib's doctors informed him that if he didn't undergo cancer treatment, he wouldn't last for more than six months.

Despite his hesitations, he began chemotherapy "eager to make the most of the treatment”.

He shares that he agreed to the treatment for the sake of his three-year-old son Laith.

“At that time, I was wondering how [my] little boy could survive without his father,” he admits.

Despite hesitations, Dib decided to go through chemotherapy for the sake of his young son, Laith. Credit: Billy Dib

The fight he was about to face took him back to his early years when he needed to defend himself against bullies at school.

"When I was 11, my father took me to the club and explained that [I needed] to learn boxing to defend [myself] from bullies at school."

From then, he’s enjoyed a successful boxing career that has lasted over 25 years.

In 2008, he won the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Super featherweight title and; from 2011-2013, he held on to the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Featherweight title.

Although he’s had to overcome a lot to win championships, Dib admits to feeling scared for himself and his family during his illness.

Dib admits to feeling scared for himself and his family during his illness. Credit: Billy Dib

He writes, "It was difficult for [my family]; but it was even harder for me because every time they visited me in the hospital, I would tell myself that it may be the last time I see them."

Dib survived six months of treatment and on March 6, 2023, doctors informed him he was cancer-free.

Later, he published a memoir entitled ‘A True Heart: The Fights of My Life’.

He says that he wrote the book after the death of his wife, Sarah, in 2015, and hopes that it serves as an inspiration for others.

Billy Dibb with Mayor Bilal El-Hayek of Canterbury-Bankstown, holding up his memoir ‘A True Heart: The Fights of My Life’. Credit: Billy Dib

He admits that his secret to overcoming cancer is faith, then persistence.

"Put faith first, then family, friendship, and love because they all give hope in life,” he says.

Dib has a new lease on life, with his hair now growing and his July 2023 scans showing no cancer regrowth.

He now educates others about the disease.

“I have conquered illness, and I want other people to know how to do the same.”