Dib defeats Oliver

By Boxing News - 07/05/2013 - Comments

dib1By Jim Dower: Billy Dib (36-2, 21 KO’s) grinded out a 10 round majority decision on Friday night over hometown fighter Mike Oliver (25-4, 8 KO’s) at the Connecticut Convention Center, in Hartford, Connecticut, USA.

The Dib-Oliver fight was pushed to the main event after light heavyweight Allan Green pulled out of his fight against undefeated Eleider Alvarez today complaining of food poisoning. Alvarez’s promoter didn’t have time to find a replacement for him, so he was off the card too.

Aside from Dib losing a point in the 2nd and 3rd rounds from low blows, the fight was mostly a one-sided affair with Dib having his way with Oliver on the inside against the ropes. The judges scored the fight 94-94, 96-92, 96-92.

It was kind if unusual seeing Dib bullying an opponent in close for a change, because in his last fight against Evgeny Gradovich last March, Dib was roughed up and dominated in close by the harder hitting nonstop punching fighter. But Oliver didn’t have the size, power or the high work rate to do what Gradovich did.

In the 2nd round, Dib landed a shot that was well low. Referee Mike Ortega stopped the action and took a point away from Dib on the spot. In the 3rd, we saw a repeat with Dib once again throwing low and Ortega taking off another point. Ortega then told Dib that if he threw another lob blow he’d be disqualified. Dib shrugged his shoulders and went back to work, throwing mostly to the head for the remainder of the fight.

Oliver was able to land some clean left hands every once in a while in catching a wide open Dib. However, he didn’t have the work rate or the power to make the fight a more competitive one. Maybe if the fight had taken place 6 years ago, Oliver would have given Dib a lot more trouble, but tonight Oliver wasn’t busy enough.

Other boxing results on the card:

Mark Davis UD 8 Robert Osiobe
Emmanuel DeJesus UD 4 Rikardo Smith



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