PHOENIX, Ariz. – Lee Selby isn’t shy about where he thinks he belongs on the Premier Boxing Champions long list of talented featherweights.
He raises the index finger on his potent right hand when asked how he would rank himself in a deep pool that includes Leo Santa Cruz, Abner Mares and Carl Frampton.
But the confident gesture is more of a prediction than a current assessment.
“Numero Uno,’’ the Wales fighter said, joking in a UK accent after a brief workout at Central Boxing before his Wednesday bout with Fernando Montiel at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz. “See, I’m learning my Spanish, too.
“I rank myself amongst them. They are the fights I want to be in. I want to be in the big fights, see how good I am.’’
For now, the Wales fighter and IBF champion is just trying to introduce himself to the American market against the experienced and well-traveled Montiel of Mexico on an ESPN-televised card (6 p.m.PT/9pm ET) featuring former welterweight champion Devon Alexander (26-3, 14 KOs) against Aron Martinez (19-4-1, 4 KOs).
The weigh-in is scheduled for Tuesday at 2 p.m. (PT) at Gila River Arena.. It’s open to the public.
“I myself chose a formidable foe, a former three-weight world champion,’’ said Selby, who will defend the title
he won in a technical decision over Evgeny Gradovich last May in London. “If I beat a guy like him, look good on free television, it should change my profile overnight.’’
A profile, perhaps, that could lead to a bout with Santa Cruz, who put himself at the head of Al Haymon ‘s126-pound class with a dramatic decision over Mares at Los Angeles’ Staples Center on August 29.
“At the moment, my name, my profile, is not big in America, if at all’’ said Selby, who trained for his U.S. debut in Los Angeles. “So, I have a lot work to do on that. A lot of it depends on who the opponent is. But the fights are on free TV. Everybody gets to see me. It’s not like pay-per-view. So, if I look good, it could happen fairly rapidly.’’
