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Lee Selby
Lee Selby 2015 (cropped).png
Selby in 2015
Statistics
Nickname(s)
Rated at
Height 5 ft 8 in
Reach 69+1/2 in
Born (1987-02-14) 14 February 1987 (age 37)
Barry Town, Wales
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 32
Wins 28
Wins by KO 9
Losses 4
Medal record
Men's amateur boxing
Representing  Wales
Welsh National Championships
Gold 2006 Newport Featherweight
Gold 2007 Ystradgynlais Lightweight
Gold 2008 Port Talbot Heavyweight

Lee Selby (born 14 February 1987) is a retired Welsh former professional boxing world champion who competed from 2008 to 2022. He held the IBF featherweight title from 2015 to 2018, and previously the British, Commonwealth, and European featherweight titles between 2011 and 2014.

Professional career

Early career

Selby began his professional career on 12 July 2008 with a win over Sid Razak (3-8) at the Newport Leisure Centre in Wales. He compiled a record of 4-0 before losing for the first time in his professional career to Samir Mouneimne (1-0-1) by points decision in a four-round contest at the Fenton Manor Sports Complex in Stoke on 29 May 2009. Selby won his next three fights before beating Dai Davies (6-13-1) for the Welsh Area title on 30 October 2010 claiming the belt with a second-round knockout. On 30 July 2011, he met Scotsman James Ancliff (11-14-2) for the vacant Celtic featherweight title and claimed the belt with a sixth-round stoppage.

British and Commonwealth champion

On 17 September 2011, Selby claimed the British and Commonwealth titles with a win over then champion Stephen Smith via an eighth-round stoppage at the Olympia in Liverpool. Despite being the underdog going into the fight Selby took control of the centre of the ring and caught Smith with a left hand in the 8th round, a punch from which Smith was unable to recover. Selby said after the fight that the win "feels like I've won a world title" adding "It's something that I have been dreaming about since I was a kid. It's a big achievement and not a lot of people have done it".

On 20 April 2013 Selby dismantled the former unbeaten Australian champion Corey McConnell. McConell's corner threw in the towel in the fifth round.

WBC International Championship

Selby vs. Simion

Selby, Lee
Selby attending a football match in 2013

On 13 July 2013, Lee Selby took another step towards a world title shot when he faced in Hull the unbeaten Romanian boxer and ranked at fourth by the WBC, Viorel Simion, and won the WBC International featherweight title with a unanimous decision victory. According to some prominent boxing writers, the British rising star passed the toughest test of his career in a very close fight.

IBF featherweight champion

Selby vs. Gradovich

In May 2015, Lee Selby won the IBF featherweight title from Evgeny Gradovich. The fight ended in a unanimous TD after Gradovich was cut from an accidental head clash, and was unable to continue.

Selby vs. Montiel

Selby retained his IBF featherweight title in October 2015 with a win over Mexican Fernando Montiel in Arizona. He dedicated the win to his childhood friend Darren Bray, who had recently died.

Selby vs. Barros

In July 2017, Lee made his next defence of his IBF featherweight crown. Just weeks before the fight, Selby received shocking news of his mother's sudden death in Wales, and his family urged him to pull out of the fight. Selby decided to continue training days later, and dedicate the fight to his mother.

Selby vs Warrington

On 19 May 2018, Selby defended his IBF featherweight title for the fifth time, against unbeaten Josh Warrington. Warrington was the aggressor early in the fight, and managed to rock Selby with a left hook in the second round and a jab to the temple. Selby suffered a bad cut over his left eye in the sixth round, but was allowed to continue the fight. Warrington managed to be busier than Selby and landed cleaner shots through most of the fight. Selby lost the belt to Warrington via split decision, 113–115, 116-112 and 115-113 for Warrington.

Selby vs Douglas

After losing his IBF belt, Selby bounced back with a victory over Omar Douglas. In a bloody fight, Selby managed to outbox Doulgas, to get the unanimous decision victory.

Selby vs Burns

In his next fight, Selby faced former world champion Ricky Burns. In a very close and foul-filled fight, Selby managed to win on two of the scorecards, 116-112 and 116–113, while the third judge had it a draw, 115-115.

Selby vs. Kambosos Jr.

Selby was scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. in Cardiff on 9 May 2020. but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fight eventually went ahead on 31 October at The SSE Arena in London, where Selby went the distance but lost by split decision.

Selby announced his retirement from boxing on 5 April 2022.

Professional boxing record

Professional record summary
32 fights 28 wins 4 losses
By knockout 9 1
By decision 19 3
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
32 Loss 28–4 Gustavo Daniel Lemos TKO 5 (12), 2:04 26 Mar 2022 Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, Argentina
31 Loss 28–3 George Kambosos Jr. SD 12 31 Oct 2020 The SSE Arena, London, England
30 Win 28–2 Ricky Burns MD 12 26 Oct 2019 The O2 Arena, London, England
29 Win 27–2 Omar Douglas UD 12 23 Feb 2019 The O2 Arena, London, England
28 Loss 26–2 Josh Warrington SD 12 19 May 2018 Elland Road, Leeds, England Lost IBF featherweight title
27 Win 26–1 Eduardo Ramirez UD 12 9 Dec 2017 Copper Box Arena, London, England Retained IBF featherweight title
26 Win 25–1 Jonathan Victor Barros UD 12 15 Jul 2017 The SSE Arena, London, England Retained IBF featherweight title
25 Win 24–1 Andoni Gago TKO 9 (10), 0:41 4 Mar 2017 The O2 Arena, London, England
24 Win 23–1 Eric Hunter UD 12 9 Apr 2016 The O2 Arena, London, England Retained IBF featherweight title
23 Win 22–1 Fernando Montiel UD 12 14 Oct 2015 Gila River Arena, Glendale, Arizona, US Retained IBF featherweight title
22 Win 21–1 Evgeny Gradovich TD 8 (12), 1:00 30 May 2015 The O2 Arena, London, England Won IBF featherweight title;
Unanimous TD: Gradovich cut from an accidental head clash
21 Win 20–1 Joel Brunker TKO 9 (12), 2:49 11 Oct 2014 The O2 Arena, London, England
20 Win 19–1 Romulo Koasicha UD 12 17 May 2014 Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales Retained WBC International featherweight title
19 Win 18–1 Rendall Munroe TKO 6 (12), 1:31 1 Feb 2014 Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales Retained British featherweight title;
Won vacant European featherweight title
18 Win 17–1 Ryan Walsh UD 12 5 Oct 2013 The O2 Arena, London, England Retained British and Commonwealth featherweight titles
17 Win 16–1 Viorel Simion UD 12 13 Jul 2013 Craven Park, Hull, England Won WBC International featherweight title
16 Win 15–1 Corey McConnell TKO 5 (12), 1:16 20 Apr 2013 Winter Gardens, Blackpool, England Retained Commonwealth featherweight title
15 Win 14–1 Martin Lindsay UD 12 9 Feb 2013 Odyssey Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland Retained British and Commonwealth featherweight titles
14 Win 13–1 Patrick Okine TKO 5 (12), 1:54 25 May 2012 Leisure Centre, Newport, Wales Retained Commonwealth featherweight title
13 Win 12–1 John Simpson TKO 5 (12), 2:02 14 Dec 2011 York Hall, London, England Retained British and Commonwealth featherweight titles
12 Win 11–1 Stephen Smith KO 8 (12), 2:04 17 Sep 2011 Liverpool Olympia, Liverpool, England Won British and Commonwealth featherweight titles
11 Win 10–1 James Ancliff TKO 6 (10), 2:12 30 Jul 2011 Pillgwenlly Millennium Centre, Newport, Wales Won vacant British Celtic featherweight title
10 Win 9–1 Youssef Al Hamidi PTS 6 27 Apr 2011 Liverpool Olympia, Liverpool, England
9 Win 8–1 Dai Davies KO 2 (10), 1:53 30 Oct 2010 Leisure Centre, Newport, Wales Won vacant Welsh Area featherweight title
8 Win 7–1 Ben Jones PTS 6 25 Jul 2010 Brentwood Centre, Brentwood, England
7 Win 6–1 Jimmy Briggs PTS 4 20 Nov 2009 Leisure Centre, Newport, Wales
6 Win 5–1 Ian Bailey PTS 6 10 Aug 2009 Jumeirah Carlton Tower, London, England
5 Loss 4–1 Samir Mouneimne PTS 4 29 May 2009 Fenton Manor Sports Complex, Stoke-on-Trent, England
4 Win 4–0 Johnny Greaves PTS 6 13 Mar 2009 Leisure Centre, Newport, Wales
3 Win 3–0 Craig Johnson PTS 4 27 Feb 2009 Metrodome, Barnsley, England
2 Win 2–0 Peter Buckley PTS 6 24 Oct 2008 Leisure Centre, Newport, Wales
1 Win 1–0 Sid Razak PTS 6 12 Jul 2008 Leisure Centre, Newport, Wales

Personal life

Selby is the brother of GB Boxing's 2012 Olympic flyweight representative Andrew Selby.

See also

  • List of Welsh boxing world champions
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