Three years have passed since Lee Selby, the former IBF featherweight world champion, stepped into a professional boxing ring for competition. At 38 years old, many assumed the accomplished Welshman had comfortably settled into retirement following his 2022 bout in Argentina. However, recent appearances and comments suggest the fighting fire might not be entirely extinguished, potentially reigniting in a decidedly different, and arguably more rugged, arena.
Selby was recently spotted ringside at a Bare Knuckle Boxing (BKB) event in Bolton, lending support to fighter Joe Morgan. Morgan, notably, transitioned to bare-knuckle after a successful start in traditional gloved boxing. Observing the action, Selby reportedly confessed to having “itchy knuckles” – a phrase familiar to any fighter contemplating a return.
The world of bare-knuckle boxing has been attracting figures from the gloved sport, with former two-weight world champion Paulie Malignaggi being a prominent recent example joining the BKB roster. When directly questioned about the possibility of him following suit, Selby`s response was concise but telling: “It`s a possibility.”
This admission opens a fascinating, and perhaps unexpected, chapter. Selby`s last competitive outing in March 2022 ended in a fifth-round defeat during an IBF eliminator in Argentina – a fight he acknowledges taking with significant challenges stacked against him, albeit for “little money.” Stepping away for what he describes as the longest break of his career – approximately three years now – Selby claims to feel “fresh and rejuvenated.”
A move to bare-knuckle boxing would represent a dramatic pivot for a boxer renowned for his technical skill and defensive prowess honed over a long career in the padded-glove format. It`s a different discipline requiring a different mindset, where fights can end brutally and quickly, as evidenced by other bouts on the Bolton card, like the contest between Kallum Skhane and Harry Gigliotti, which saw Gigliotti secure a fourth-round stoppage after overcoming early challenges.
While nothing is confirmed, the mere hint from a fighter of Selby`s calibre exploring the bare-knuckle scene is significant. It suggests that for some veterans, the appeal of combat remains strong, perhaps seeking a new challenge or simply a different platform after achieving success in traditional boxing. Whether this “possibility” evolves into reality remains to be seen, but the prospect of a former world champion trading padded gloves for taped fists certainly adds an intriguing layer to the combat sports landscape.
Tristan Blackwood