Former IBF featherweight world champion Lee Selby is aiming to win another world title in a higher weight division in 2019.
Back in May 2018, Selby lost a twelve round decision, and his IBF world title, when he faced Josh Warrington. Going into that contest, Selby was the favorite to win.
After the bout, Selby explained that he's struggled to make the featherweight limit of 126-pounds for several years.
Selby has to make an official decision regarding his new weight class, but he's going to compete in the future at super featherweight or lightweight.
The former champion detailed the very grueling process in squeezing down to 126 and admits that he should have moved up in weight years ago.
“I struggled with the weight my whole career — I’m big framed," Selby told The Mirror.
"Ideally, once I’d won the world title in 2015 I should have vacated and moved up, because after the first defence the snap just wasn’t there. Two or three weeks out from fights I was looking great, strong as an ox and fit as a fiddle, but losing that last stone took it out of me. Some of the stuff I’ve done to make weight is not normal. I’d be chewing my food but not swallowing it, I wouldn’t tell my team. Hot baths…
I’d have a bowl of salad, a tiny bit of white fish. Then I’d have another meal and spit it out — it was bad. I didn’t rehydrate as well. Now, moving on, I still have the boxing skills and extra sharpness because I won’t be dehydrated and struggling to make weight, and the power difference is a massive difference.
“The power has always been there, losing that last bit of weight just drains me. I’m looking forward to it and I’ll be a different fighter. If I didn’t think I could achieve a world title or be involved in big fights I wouldn’t do it, it’s too hard a sport to be second best.”
