By Adrien Warren

Former featherweight world champion Billy Dib is hoping boxing will bring some happiness to his life after the death of his wife Sara from cancer last September.

He has announced he will return to fight Thailand's Sukkasem Kietyongyuth 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.

"I thought the best thing for me was to possibly get back in the ring and try to find some happiness in the ring," Dib (39-4, 23KOs) said in Sydney on Tuesday.

Dib has been out of the ring since his May 2015 TKO defeat to then WBC super featherweight champion Takashi Miura of Japan.

He was scheduled to return to the ring last month as part of David Haye's comeback show in London, but the fight was scrapped. He is also being touted to return on the undercard of Haye's next ring appearance which is scheduled for May.

Sukkasem Kietyongyuth has lost his last two bouts, both by knockout, to unbeaten prospects Ik Yang and Mark Magsayo.