Former boxing world champion Billy Dib says his comeback isn't about money or winning more world titles, but finding happiness after the death of his wife Sara.
He has announced he will return to fight Thailand's Sukkasem Kietyongyuth (13-4, 8 KOs) in a super featherweight bout on February 26 at Sydney's Emporium Function Centre, the venue for his engagement and the day after Sara would have turned 22.
They were originally scheduled to marry last December but brought the day forward after Sara was diagnosed with cancer. She died on September 26.
"I was left pretty much an empty man and I didn't really know what to do at that stage," Dib said on Tuesday.
"It became a day-by-day battle and then I found boxing was something that brought me a lot of happiness.
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"I thought the best thing for me was to possibly to be get back in the ring and try to find some happiness in the ring.
"I remember having a talk with Sara just before she passed away and I said to her `does boxing bother you, does me fighting bother you?'
"She said `No it doesn't. She said `what bothers me is you want to do what everybody else wants you to do and you don't do what Billy Dib wants you to do.
"A lot of people don't want me to fight. A lot of people have asked me not to fight. But this is something I've just got to do for myself.
"The comeback is not about winning another world title, the comeback is about one day at a time, one round at a time, one fight at a time.
"The only thing that makes me feel like a winner is being in the ring and winning and that's why I've decided to fight again.
Dib 30, (39-4, 23 KOs) said he didn't plan to keep fighting after he suffered a stoppage loss to then WBC super featherweight world champion Takashi Miura in Tokyo last May, though he never officially retired.
He later told trainer Billy Hussein he wanted to return to the ring, but a hand injury forced him out of a fight in England last month.
"It wasn't till after I came back to the gym after hurting my hand that something just snapped and I found my timing, my rhythm and I found the spark and something special and I really believe there's an angel on my shoulder," Dib said.
Dib felt if he kept winning he would ultimately get another world title chance against a champion looking to add credibility to his record by fighting a former title winner.
"Unfortunately for that person who thinks they are going to put a credible name on their record, they are going to put an L (loss) on their record because I've got a lot to fight for now," Dib said.
"There's a burning desire."
He also intends managing the career of his younger brother Youssef, who has had just one paid fight.
Dib opened up about the breakdown of his relationship with former manager and American rapper 50 Cent, saying he did not get all the money he had been promised.
"It was very disheartening, sleepless nights waiting up for phone calls, the guy would never answer the phone," Dib said.
"It was possibly the worst career move that I made in my life."
"I became turned off the sport. I wasn't working as hard anymore, but now it's not about money any more."
