‘I told them, I’m dying’ – Amir Khan’s ex-opponent Billy Dib reveals he’s had emergency op to remove cancerous tumour
FORMER boxing king Billy Dib has had emergency surgery to remove a cancerous tumour after telling medics “I’m dying”.
Dib, 37, who fought Britain’s Amir Khan in 2019, urged fans to pray for him after revealing a doctor friend told him to go back to hospital.
Having had a 5cm growth taken out from his stomach on Monday, the Aussie said: “Despite sharing the ring with dangerous opponents, this is one of the most frightening situations I have found myself in.”
The ex-IBF and IBO world champion lost his first wife Sara to leukaemia six years ago following complications in her treatment.
But Dib is defiant about his own situation as he tweeted: “Cancer has picked the wrong opponent. I have to much to live for.”
Three years ago, he described his sudden opportunity to take on Khan as his “real-life Rocky moment”.
READ MORE ON BOXING
He was called up with just a month’s notice after original opponent Neeraj Goyat was hurt in a car crash.
But Dib was stopped in the fourth round as Khan won the WBC international welterweight title in Saudi Arabia.
Now Dib’s focus has switched to regaining his health.
Known as ‘The Kid,’ he explained how his situation escalated from “bad pain” about “10 or 11 days ago” to surgery behind his gallbladder.
Most read in Sport
He told the Wide World of Sports: “They sent me off for a scan but it showed something very little.
“They told me not to worry about it and gave me some medication.
“But then the following days I was feeling really sick and I went to Canterbury Hospital.
“They put me on morphine and they sent me home and said, ‘I need to do a scan’.
“And then when I called to get the scan done the next day, they said, ‘Sorry we can’t get you in until Monday.’
“I told them, ‘I’m dying. I need help, please.’ They said, ‘Sir, if you’re dying, call the hospital’.”
After being taken to his mum’s home, Dib’s brother called a doctor friend, who told him to immediately go to Bella Vista Norwest Hospital.
Dib added: “I did that and they found a 5cm tumor in my stomach.
“They’ve cut it out, they’ve said they’ve got it all but I’m in recovery and it’s very hard.”
Dib is staying positive and describes himsefl as “very lucky” but added: “Who knows what God has got planned for me.
“I’m in bed right now, I don’t know if I need chemo in the future.
“They’ve taken the tumor out but they want to test it and see what kind of cancer it is and if it’s going to spread.
“I’m very lucky. Please tell everybody to pray for me and I love them all.”