The on-again-off-again fight between former IBF featherweight champion Lee Selby 28-2 (9) and George Kambosos Jr 18-0 (10) is back on after Matchroom Boxing won the purse bid.
The IBF lightweight title eliminator was scheduled to take place in Cardiff, Wales on May 9 before the global coronavirus pandemic hit and forced its postponement.
The fight was then rescheduled to October 3 at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, but negotiations broke down in mid-August when Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn wanted to reduce Kambosos Jr’s purse by 33% from $150,000 to $100,000.
The situation forced the fight to purse bids, which took place on Tuesday.
“A purse bid for the George Kambosos vs Lee Selby IBF Lightweight Eliminator for #1 position took place at the IBF office today at 12:00 PM EST”
“The participants in the bid were Lou DiBella Entertainment and Matchroom Boxing.
“Matchroom Boxing won bidding $277,777.00. DiBella Entertainment bid $260,000.00.”
As the higher ranked fighter in the IBF, Kambosos Jr is entitled to a 60/40 split of the purse bid, meaning he will now take home $1,666,666 for his efforts.
Kambosos Jr is ranked number three by the IBF while Selby is rated number four by the same organisation. The number one and two positions in the rankings are vacant.
The fight will still take place at Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff on October 3 with the winner becoming the mandatory challenger to IBF champion Teofimo Lopez 15-0 (12).
Lopez is scheduled to lock horns with unified lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko 14-1 (10) in Las Vegas on October 17.
The 33-year-old Selby was last in action in October when he outpointed former WBO lightweight and WBA junior welterweight champion Ricky Burns by majority decision over 12.
“I’m one step away now from a shot at the IBF lightweight world title,” Selby said. “My dream of becoming Wales’ first-ever two-weight world champion.
“Kambosos Jr is a hungry young fighter that I know will bring it all. But I’ve had some of my best performances against Australian boxers stopping both Corey McConnell and Joel Brunker in title fights and May 9th will be no different.”
Undefeated Australian Kambosos Jr, 27, scored the biggest win of his career when he defeated former IBF 135-pound champion Mickey Bey by split decision in a 10-round bout at New York’s Madison Square Garden on the Terence Crawford vs Egidijus Kavaliauskas undercard.
“I’m excited. I cannot wait to fight Lee Selby in this IBF world title eliminator where the winner will become the mandatory challenger for the winner of Lomachenko vs Lopez,” said Kambosos Jr.
“I defeated former world champion Mickey Bey in his backyard at Madison Square Garden in December. I’m ready to beat another former World Champion in his backyard.”
Kambosos Jr sees claiming Selby’s scalp as not only an opportunity to position himself for a world title shot, but also to claim new fans in the UK.
“I’m excited for a fight of this magnitude and look forward to retiring Lee Selby with a dominating and punishing performance,” he said.
“In addition to gaining all of the UK supporters that will get behind me toward winning my world title.”
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