Former IBF featherweight champion Lee Selby has hinted at a potential return to fighting, specifically in bareknuckle boxing`s distinctive “trigon” ring. Selby, present at a recent BKB event in Bolton, admitted to having “itchy knuckles.”
Selby was in the corner supporting Joe Morgan, who successfully transitioned to bareknuckle fighting after seven professional bouts with gloves. Morgan secured a first-round victory in his bareknuckle debut.
Following Morgan`s win, Selby stated that joining the bareknuckle roster, which recently welcomed former two-weight world gloved champion Paulie Malignaggi, is “a possibility.” Malignaggi himself is set to face fellow former gloved boxer Tyler Goodjohn in Bristol on September 6th.
Selby, who successfully defended his IBF featherweight title four times during his career, last competed in March 2022. His final professional fight was a fifth-round loss to Gustavo Daniel Lemos in an IBF eliminator held in Argentina.
Now 38 years old, Selby reflected on his time away from the ring, saying, “I retired three years ago. I boxed in Argentina where everything was against me. But I`m a fighting man so I went there for little money and fell short. Three years is the longest I have been out. I feel fresh and rejuvenated.” When directly asked about fighting bareknuckle in the future, he reiterated, “It`s a possibility.”
While at the event, Selby also witnessed the bout where Kallum Skhane fell short in his attempt to become another bareknuckle world champion from Wales. Skhane, a former Welsh amateur international from Blaengwynfi, was defeated in four rounds by Harry Gigliotti.
After securing his sixth consecutive victory, Gigliotti declared, “I`m the greatest of all time.” Gigliotti, who also holds a 9-5 record as a gloved professional from Massachusetts, was initially outboxed for the first two rounds.
Skhane displayed quickness with his hands and feet early on, but damage around his left eye and nose became noticeable after the second round. Gigliotti began landing harder jabs in the third, eventually dropping Skhane with a body shot late in the round.
Skhane bravely beat the count and was performing well in the fourth round until Gigliotti found another opening. A powerful left uppercut to the body sent Skhane back to his knees for the full ten count, ending the fight.
