Welshman Lee Selby will face the unbeaten George Kambosos Jr. in an IBF lightweight final eliminator at the SSE Arena in London on Saturday.

Selby, a former IBF featherweight titleholder, is pleased to be facing the all-action Kambosos in the long-awaited encounter.

“It’s a big fight, a massive opportunity for me,” Selby (28-2, 9 knockouts) told The Ring. “He’s a good fighter, young prospect, he hasn’t really boxed anyone of note, except Mickey Bey, which he won on a split decision.”

This won’t be the first time the 33-year-old Welshman has shared a ring with Kambosos.

“I sparred him at the Wild Card in 2017 and he’s good,” acknowledged Selby. “We only sparred four rounds and I don’t think I lost a round. Sparring is sparring.”

That experience gave him the opportunity to see what Kambosos does well, but he expects his own ability to cause his rival trouble on fight night.

“He has good handspeed and throws a nice little right uppercut,” said Selby, who was also quick to downplay Kambosos’ size advantage. “I was the bigger boy [in the sparring session]. I’m bigger than most of the lightweights, to be honest.”

“I’m sure my boxing ability will get me through.”

If victorious Selby will be in line to face new lightweight king Teofimo Lopez.

“[Lopez] looked too big for Lomachenko,” said the former titleholder. “He boxed well behind the jab and did what he had to do. I could possibly face him, so I’m just one win away from a superfight.”

As usual, Selby has split time training between his hometown of Barry and nearby Newport, where he trains at St. Joseph’s under the guidance of Tony Borg. He also traveled to Poland for a week and sparred with the unbeaten featherweight Kamil Laszczyk.

The year lay-off and multiple postponements haven’t unduly bothered the mild-mannered Selby.

“To be honest, it’s gone so quick that I haven’t really thought about inactivity,” he said. “I’ve had long spells in my career without fighting. I’m always in the gym and ready, so I can’t see that affecting me too much. He’s had a year out too. It is what it is. There was a lot more going on in the world than Lee Selby fighting in Cardiff (the original fight location). You just get on with it.

“If I can win this fight I’m back in a world title fight. It’s what every boxer dreams of. If I can win the world title, I’d be the first Welshman to be a two-weight world champion.”

Editor’s note: Selby’s countryman Joe Calzaghe won every available title belt at super middleweight and also claimed the Ring Magazine light heavyweight championship in 2008.

Kambosos turned professional in 2013. The 27-year-old Australian fought at home before switching to America, where he gained notoriety sparring over 300 rounds with Manny Pacquiao. With a record of 18-0 (10 KOs), Kambosos has wins over former amateur rival Brandon Ogilvie (UD 12), once-beaten JR Magboo (TKO 2) and former IBF 135-pound titleholder Mickey Bey (SD 10).

Selby-Kambosos is chief support to Aleksandr Usyk-Derek Chisora. The card will broadcast on DAZN in the U.S. and Sky Sports Box Office in the U.K.

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at [email protected] and you can follow him on Twitter @AnsonWainwright

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