Britain’s Selby beats Montiel to retain IBF featherweight title

Selby said: “My jab, reach and speed were my biggest advantages”.

“He’s a big puncher and I get caught regular in fights, so it should be exciting”, Selby said. And in fighting Fernando Montiel – a credible boxer now past his best – Selby has the flawless platform (not to mention a weak main event in Devon Alexander-Aaron Martinez) to steal the show. I want to prove that I’m the best. “With these fights being on free T.V., more people get to see me and my profile will change rapidly as long as I do what I’m capable of”.

But Montiel, a former titleholder at 112, 115, and 118 pounds, never gave up on the fight, and wound up giving Selby a few trouble in the middle rounds.

“I want to be a worldwide star and to do that you need the big fights in America”, said Selby. “I got the win, and it was a great feeling to get my first one on US soil”.

Lee Selby is set to make his USA debut on a Premier Boxing Champions undercard in Glendale, Arizona. Montiel is vying for a world title in a fourth weight class in this bout, so he must be respected as a former champion with a lot of fighting under his belt. The fight ended on a bit of a down note, as a clash of heads opened a cut on Gradovich’s head that led to the fight going to the cards after eight rounds.

Promoter Eddie Hearn hopes Selby will now defend his title in Wales early next year. “At the moment fighter purses have ballooned out of control. I’ve got you, you’ve signed and you are mine”. It’s not an easy win, especially with me having to come overseas. My attitude is totally different. “I want to fight him again”. “We find the right solution and we maximise the earnings for every one of our individual clients”.

What’s also encouraging when it comes to Lee Selby is his willingness to travel to the United States to purse major opportunities. Martinez, a Mexican living and training in Los Angeles, foresees an upset of Alexander.

Warrington, a huge Leeds United fan, revaled last week that talks are already underway about making next year’s summer spectacular at Elland Road happen with the Yorkshireman out to achieve his end of the bargain by defeating opponents in the IBF rankings’ top ten and making himself a mandatory challenger. If you can’t, stay out there and keep earning.

“Next time I come out here I will put on a show for them”. “I get paid, he gets paid, we all get paid”.

He could not keep up the momentum though, with Selby back in charge by the eighth round, and come the ninth an eight-year age gap between the pair looked to be telling, as Montiel faded.

Selby should win this American debut.