Former IBF featherweight world champion Lee Selby made a thunderous naked knuckle debut, stopping Italy’s Antonio Rizzo with a sickening left hook to the liver within the second spherical at BKB 55: Carnage in Cardiff.
Returning to fight sports activities for the primary time in 4 years, the 39-year-old Welsh star delivered a dominant efficiency on the Vindico Enviornment, rolling again the years in entrance of his dwelling followers simply down the highway from Barry. “Lightning” Selby confirmed no ring rust, utilizing exact motion, a ram-rod jab, and sharp counterpunching to dismantle the aggressive bare-knuckle veteran.
He dropped Rizzo on the finish of the primary spherical with a proper hand to the top. Within the second spherical, Rizzo was floored three extra instances earlier than the battle was stopped following the decisive physique shot.
Publish-fight, Selby stated:
“It felt wonderful, and don’t overlook, I’m nearly 40 years of age. Rizzo is nearly half my age; he might be my son. So, I’m doing it for the 40-year-olds, the 40 membership. Like NWA stated, I’ve received an urge for food for destruction.”
“Sure, I do [want a world title shot]. I need to avenge my good buddy and sparring associate, Kallum Shkhane and the loss when he fought for the world title. I assumed he was very unfortunate to get stopped simply earlier than the bell after I thought he was profitable on factors.”
Selby, who held the IBF featherweight world title from 2015 to 2018 and defended it 5 instances, beforehand captured British, Commonwealth, and European titles. The twelfth Welsh world champion in boxing historical past compiled a 28-4 (9 KOs) skilled file in gloved boxing.
The victory launches Selby’s bare-knuckle marketing campaign as BKB continues its fast development, attracting elite expertise from conventional boxing into the no-gloves Trigon format.
