Lee Selby Excited To Move Forward With Haymon as Free Agent

By Edward Chaykovsky

IBF featherweight world champion Lee Selby is very excited about his free agent status.

After eleven months of inactivity, he saw action on Saturday night at the O2 Arena in London with a stoppage win over Adoni Gago in a non-title contest. The bout was part of the David Haye vs. Tony Bellew undercard. 

The fight was also the final bout of Selby's promotional agreement with Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport.

Now Selby with move his career forward with adviser Al Haymon and manager Chris Sanigar.

"This is my last fight with Matchroom, after this I am a free agent," Selby told BBC.

"I will have a contract with no-one. My advisor [Al Haymon] and my manager [Chris Sanigar] will be free to put me on shows anywhere in the world. Hopefully that will mean I fight in America more and in my home country."

Selby views the continued pact with Haymon as the smart move, because the powerful boxing adviser is also contractually tied to the biggest names in the featherweight division - like WBC champion Gary Russell Jr., Irish superstar Carl Frampton, WBA champion Leo Santa Cruz, and WBA "regular" champ Abner Mares. Haymon also has agreements with numerous fighters in the surrounding weight divisions as well.

"I want to be in the ring with all three of Carl Frampton, Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares, in any order, either defending my title or in unification fights," Selby explained.

The biggest fight would be a UK clash with Frampton, who is coming off a decision loss to Santa Cruz from January. Russell has a mandatory defense with Oscar Escandon, which recently got postponed. Mares is wide open and expressed great interest in facing Selby in the near future - even if it meant traveling over to the UK to get the deal done.