Steven Luevano vs Billy Dib

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In a nationally televised bout that was the prelim to the Pavlik-Hopkins main event at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, California Featherweight Steve Luevano, 27, retained his WBO featherweight title with a 12 round decision win over Australian IBO Super Featherweight champion Billy Dib, 23. Luevano, 35-1-1 with 15 kayos, spent the entire bout attacked with jab combinations and moving forward against Dib, 21-0 with 11 kayos, who spent the entire bout moving side to side as a counterpuncher with some effectiveness at times. Dib appeared to go down in the sixth for a flash knockdown but it was ruled a slip, and hit his opponent after the bell in the seventh. In the eighth, an overhand left by Luevano sent Dib spinning around and staggering the entire length of the ring, but he recovered immediately apparently unhurt. Dib landed only 9 of 143 jab attempts, and this proved to be the difference in an otherwise competitive fight. Although one judge had the bout 115-113 for Luevano, the bout did not appear close with Luevano winning all but a round or two. After round 8, Luevano pressed the action as his opponent was not offering much resistance. However, Dib moved left to right and right to left the entire bout with excellent footwork and proved an elusive target. Steve Smoger, turned down as a possible referee for Pavlik-Hopkins at the eleventh hour, did a fine job keeping this 12 round bout clean.