Lee Selby Open To Leo Santa Cruz, Carl Frampton Bouts

By Terence Dooley

IBF featherweight titlist Lee Selby (22-1, 8 KOs) insists that he is fully focussed on his looming mandatory showdown against Eric Hunter (21-3, 11 early) despite being called out by both Leo Santa Cruz and Carl Frampton last weekend.

The 29-year-old from Barry, Wales is open to meeting either of the two big names, but wants to do the business against his 29-year-old challenger first.

“My full concentration is on my next fight against Eric Hunter,” said Selby when speaking to David Williams of Barry and District News.

“He's a great fighter and I've got to be fully focused on him.  Eric Hunter's the number one challenger.  He punches hard and two of his three defeats have been disqualifications.  He is quite awkward and pretty negative at times.  I see the first half of the fight as a feeling out process trying to outsmart each other.  We'll both look to find our range and then I'll take over later on.”

He added: “"Carl Frampton called me out on the weekend, Leo Santa Cruz called me out on the weekend, and they're both huge stars in boxing.  A fight against either of them at the Principality Stadium would be great in an ideal world.”

IBF Super bantamweight title-holder Frampton out-pointed WBA counterpart Scott Quigg at the Manchester Arena last week and is eying a move up to featherweight; Santa Cruz is also looking to move up following his stoppage win over Kiko Martinez.  It means that both men could pop up on Selby’s radar providing he clears his mandatory hurdle first.

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