Former IBF featherweight world champion Lee Selby made an explosive entrance into bare-knuckle boxing, securing a decisive second-round knockout victory over Italy’s Antonio Rizzo. The fight took place at BKB 55: Carnage in Cardiff, where Selby, returning to combat sports after a four-year hiatus, delivered a commanding performance.
Fighting in front of his home crowd in Barry, the 39-year-old Welsh star, nicknamed “Lightning,” showed no signs of rust. He showcased his classic boxing skills with precise footwork, a powerful jab, and sharp counter-punches to outmaneuver the aggressive Rizzo.
Selby first put Rizzo down at the end of the opening round with a blow to the head. The second round saw Rizzo hit the canvas three more times before the fight was officially stopped following Selby’s impactful body shot.
Post-fight, Selby expressed his satisfaction:
“It felt amazing, and don’t forget, I’m almost 40 years old. Rizzo is nearly half my age; he could be my son. So, I’m doing this for the 40-year-olds, the ’40 club.’ As NWA said, I have an appetite for destruction.”
When asked about future ambitions, Selby stated, “Yes, I do [want a world title shot]. I want to avenge my good friend and sparring partner, Kallum Shkhane, and the loss he suffered when he fought for the world title. I thought he was very unlucky to be stopped just before the bell when I believed he was winning on points.”
Selby, who held the IBF featherweight world title from 2015 to 2018 and successfully defended it five times, has a distinguished career in traditional boxing, having previously won British, Commonwealth, and European titles. He retired from gloved boxing with a professional record of 28 wins (9 KOs) and 4 losses.
This victory marks a significant start to Selby’s bare-knuckle career as BKB continues to attract top talent from conventional boxing into its unique no-gloves format.