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Concerns for Zerafa's wellbeing after controversial no contest result
Sam Kosack • January 19th, 2026 8:30 pm
Australian boxer Billy Dib has voiced his concern for Michael Zerafa as the Australian boxing world slams the fighter for a controversial no contest finish in his fight with Nikia Tszyu.
In extraordinary scenes, Zerafa’s headline fight last night ended before the third round and was declared a ‘no contest’ after Zerafa told ringside doctors he couldn’t see as a result of a cut above his eye.
However, speaking after the fight, Zerafa claimed “I didn’t stop it, the doctor stopped it. It’s not my fault.”
Fans and pundits alike were swift to criticise Zerafa, calling the boxer out for the inconsistencies in his claims, subsequently leading him to release a statement following the fight.
“I want to acknowledge that what I said was wrong and apologise,” Zerafa wrote.
“My choice of words in that moment was poor and does not reflect my values or the person I strive to be. I was speaking immediately after the fight, with adrenaline high and emotions still raw.
“While that context helps explain how it happened, it does not excuse it. I take full responsibility and apologise for what I said.”
Reports have since emerged suggesting Zerafa’s career could be in jeopardy following the fight.
Speaking on SEN 1170 Drive, Dib was worried for how Zerafa would be impacted by the boxing world’s pile-on.
“The truth is that boxing is the most unforgiving sport in the world,” Dib stressed.
“The fans are very unforgiving, and they turn on you real quick. One day you're a star, the next minute you're a flop.
“It's quite sad, I've been on the receiving end of that myself but that's boxing.
“Bullying is a big thing, I stand up for anti-bullying, and now it's got to the point where it's become bullying, you know what I mean?
“You can have an opinion… but when you start bullying people and you start putting them down in a way that's gonna affect their mental health, I'm not for that.
“I admit, I put my hand up and say I did say a few things… but I didn't constantly come back and have more and more and more.
“I just posted one thing up and left it alone. Then the following day I thought about it, spoke to one of my mentors, and my mentor said to me… ‘you stand up for anti-bullying, and I think that you really need to put something out there because this guy's copping a lot of flak, and he does need some help’.”
Dib, however, did criticise Zerafa’s actions following the fight, believing the fighter shouldn’t have attempted to change his story post-match.
“I wasn't initially too impressed with the fact that he found a way out,” Dib said.
“I thought that he was in it to win it for sure and he opened up the fight extremely well… and then in round two, I think things (started to) swing the other way and I felt that he was looking for a way out.
“The thing that annoyed me most was… had the referee not taken him to the doctor at that stage, he wouldn't have told the referee that I can't see, so he was going to continue fighting.
“When he went over to see Ben Damon (he) addressed that because obviously Ben Damon's heard that through the commentary… (Zerafa’s) come back and said, ‘no, I never said that’.
“You’ve got to own what you say… that's what annoys me the most, so I came down on Michael pretty hard.
“I had an interview… and said… ‘he's a coward and that's not the way it's supposed to be done’... I still stand by what I've said, but I did say that there is something like a mental health component here.
“Australian boxing has come down on him that hard… I don't want him doing anything silly to himself, so I just said, ‘Michael, if you are going through anything, mate, be sure to reach out to people to ask for help.
“I am annoyed with the fact that the fight ended in two rounds… the fact that he did what he did, it’s a black eye for boxing in Australia, and I hate that.”
