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 Area, rolling again the years in entrance of his house followers simply down the street 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 combat was stopped following the decisive physique shot.
Publish-fight, Selby stated:
“It felt superb, and don’t overlook, I’m nearly 40 years of age. Rizzo is sort of half my age; he could possibly be my son. So, I’m doing it for the 40-year-olds, the 40 membership. Like NWA stated, I’ve bought an urge for food for destruction.”
“Sure, I do [want a world title shot]. I wish to avenge my good buddy and sparring companion, 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 once 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 report in gloved boxing.
The victory launches Selby’s bare-knuckle marketing campaign as BKB continues its fast progress, attracting elite expertise from conventional boxing into the no-gloves Trigon format.
