Lee Selby gets the best sparring available, his own brother

Lee Selby

LEE SELBY, the โ€œWelsh Mayweatherโ€, is looking forward to returning to the O2 on Saturday. Heโ€™s putting his IBF featherweight title on the line against American challenger Eric Hunter. The London venue brings back happy memories. โ€œI won the Lonsdale belt outright there, I won an eliminator for a world title there and I won the title there,โ€ Selby says. โ€œItโ€™s massive, as soon as you hear the crowd roaring, your ring tune come on, it gives me a feeling like no other. I canโ€™t describe it.โ€

He has a high opinion of Hunter. โ€œI think heโ€™s a good fighter. Iโ€™ve seen enough of him, heโ€™s awkward, a switch-hitter, can punch a bit. From Philadelphia, boxes out of the Philly shell. Heโ€™s a good fighter,โ€ Lee said. โ€œItโ€™s going to be hard, like every fight at this level. Heโ€™s the mandatory challenger… Iโ€™ve been watching Rocky so Iโ€™ve got plenty of respect [for Philadelphia fighters].โ€

He details how heโ€™s prepared for Hunterโ€™s switch-hitting. โ€œIโ€™ve been up to the Ingles gym, theyโ€™re renowned for their switch-hitting. Iโ€™ve been sparring my younger brother [Andrew], no one switch-hits better than him. Weโ€™re training together like when we were kids,โ€ Lee said of Andrew. โ€œI canโ€™t teach him anything about boxing, heโ€™s a genius. I donโ€™t think anybody can teach him anything. All I can try to engrain into him is the work ethic.โ€

Selby wants to be active this year and victory could tee him up for a unification fight with the winner of Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz. โ€œThereโ€™s a lot of big names at the weight division, they can be made,โ€ Lee reflects. But he needs to win on Saturday.

Don’t miss the big preview in this week’s issue of Boxing News

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