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.[2]
Lee Selby
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Selby in 2015
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| Born | (1987-02-14) 14 February 1987 (age 37)
Barry Town, Wales
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| Other names |
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| Weight(s) |
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| Height | 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Reach | 69+1⁄2 in (177 cm)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Stance | Orthodox | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Boxing record | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total fights | 32 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins | 28 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins by KO | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Losses | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Selby began his professional career on 12 July 2008 with a win over Sid Razak (3-8) at the Newport Leisure Centre in Wales.[3] 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.
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.[4] 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".[5]
On 20 April 2013 Selby dismantled the former unbeaten Australian champion Corey McConnell. McConell's corner threw in the towel in the fifth round.
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.[6] According to some prominent boxing writers, the British rising star passed the toughest test of his career[7] in a very close fight.[7][8]
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 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.
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.[9]
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.[10]
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.[11]
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.[12]
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.[13]
Selby announced his retirement from boxing on 5 April 2022.[14]
| 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 |
Selby is the brother of GB Boxing's 2012 Olympic flyweight representative Andrew Selby.
| Sporting positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regional boxing titles | ||||
| Vacant Title last held by Robbie Turley |
British Welsh Area featherweight champion 30 October 2010 – July 2011 Vacated |
Vacant Title next held by Dai Davies | ||
| New title | British Celtic featherweight champion 30 July 2011 – 17 September 2011 Won British title |
Vacant Title next held by Kris Hughes | ||
| Preceded by | British featherweight champion 17 September 2011 – May 2014 Vacated |
Vacant Title next held by Josh Warrington | ||
| Commonwealth featherweight champion 17 September 2011 – November 2013 Vacated | ||||
| Vacant Title last held by Alex Miskirtchian |
European featherweight champion 1 February 2014 – May 2014 Vacated | |||
| Preceded by | WBC International featherweight champion 17 September 2011 – October 2014 Vacated | |||
| World boxing titles | ||||
| Preceded by | IBF featherweight champion 30 May 2015 – 19 May 2018 |
Succeeded by Josh Warrington | ||
