<
>

Lee Selby unfazed by hostile reception that awaits in Josh Warrington bout

Lee Selby had a beer thrown at him the last time he visited Elland Road as a television pundit. Ashley Allen/Getty Images

Lee Selby insists he is not concerned about the hostile reception he faces from a crowd of over 20,000 at his world title defence against Josh Warrington in Leeds Saturday.

Welshman Selby (26-1, 9 KOs), had a beer thrown at him the last time he visited Elland Road as a television pundit.

"It definitely won't get to me. I've boxed in front of hostile crowds before in Belfast and Liverpool and I enjoy it. Whether it's in the street or the school yard, there's always a crowd and it can be hostile. I'm used to it," Selby told ESPN.

But Selby 31, is unimpressed by Kaiser Chiefs performing moments before he makes a sixth title defence against England's unbeaten Warrington (26-0, 6 KOs), 27.

The IBF world featherweight champion admits he was unsure who the hit band were when he learned they will perform 'I Predict A Riot' while local hero Warrington walks to the ring at Elland Road.

"The people, the crowd, the idiots singing a song -- it's a fight at the end of the day," Selby said.

"The Kaiser Chiefs, I'd never even heard of them. I don't know what that's about, it's a fight, I've got a job to do and I'm not interested in anything else.

"I know their song, but I didn't know the name of the band. I'm not bothered about all of that.

"There's no added pressure on me, but there might be on him because of all that show."

Selby is hoping victory this weekend is just the start of high-profile fights for him. Northern Ireland's Carl Frampton (25-1, 14 KOs) won the WBO interim title last month and hopes to face the winner of Selby-Warrington at Windsor Park, Belfast, on Aug. 18 or 25.

"If I can come through this there's some massive fights to be made," Selby said.

"I've been hanging around long enough. I've got some Americans saying I'm not fighting anyone but it's not down to me. I'll fight anyone, but not all of them will fight me -- just ask my manager.

"I'm a world champion and if you're world champion you should fight anyone in the world. I'm not scared of losing, I will fight anyone anywhere.

"Of course I would fight Frampton in August. I would fight him in Belfast. I'm always in the gym."

Selby, as he usually does before fights, had a spell in America training sparring with reigning world champions, former titleholders and recent challengers.

"I went over to LA to the Maywood Boxing Club, where we do a lot of our work," Selby added.

"It's a spit and sawdust gym, old fashioned, Mexican, in a rough part of east LA and I really like it. People like Leo Santa Cruz and Abner Mares have used it. I went to the Wild Card a few times as well for sparring.

"I sparred probably about ten of the 13 days I was there. I sparred with Isaac Dogboe before his WBO world super-bantamweight title win, Rico Ramos [former WBA super-bantamweight champion], Azat Hovhannisyan [who was beaten on points by Rey Vargas for the WBC super-bantamweight title last Saturday], Pedro Duran who is an unbeaten prospect and a really good amateur called Chris Zavala.

"I don't know what Warrington has done but it's how I always prepare myself. I take myself out of the comfort zone in gyms the other side of the world. Even the novices in the gyms come out swinging and it's a different class of sparring."