Lee Selby fancies Frampton unification scrap

By Steve Wellings in New York

IBF featherweight champion Lee Selby has thrown his hat into the ring as a possible future Carl Frampton opponent. Speaking immediately after The Jackal’s stirring majority decision win over Leo Santa Cruz on Saturday evening Selby thinks that he can be the man to derail the Frampton freight train.

 

“It was a Fight of the Year contender tonight and I’d like to think that our styles would also gel like that,” said the Welshman.

 

“It should be an easy enough fight to make because we’re both with Al Haymon. My manager and his manager get along together so there shouldn’t be a problem. Carl just showed that he’s one of the best fighters out there but I’m most definitely confident I’d win.”

 

Carl was quizzed at the post-fight press conference about whether he would be open to fighting Selby, who is believed to be drifting away from any promotional ties with Matchroom Boxing.

 

“Lee is a great fighter, I always admired him when I was at 122 and that’s not going to change,” said Frampton.

 

“I’ve openly said that he’s one of the best fighters in the UK. I just want big names. Leo Santa Cruz is a big name and Gary Russell Jr is also a big name.”

 

Before the bout Selby took to the mic in the Showtime studios alongside WBC kingpin Gary Russell with both men understandably keen to fight the main event winner. Lee, who was last seen defeating Eric Hunter in April, was impressed afterwards with Frampton’s implementation of the perfect strategy.

 

“I thought he was brilliant,” agreed Selby. “It was a great fight and a tough fight but the tactics he used surprised me. I didn’t think he would stand and trade. I thought he would box on the back foot and outclass Santa Cruz but instead he beat him at his own game.”

 

Before the bout Lee fancied his chances against either man. So was there anything that Selby saw on the night that would alter that opinion?

“Not really, no.”