Lightweight contenders George Kambosos Jr. and Lee Selby will meet in a world title elimination fight on May 9 at Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn announced Friday.
The winner of the fight, which will stream on DAZN in the United States and headline on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom, will become the mandatory challenger for the 135-pound belt held by Teofimo Lopez Jr., who is likely first headed to a title unification bout with Vasiliy Lomachenko this spring.
Kambosos (18-0, 10 KOs), 26, of Australia, is coming off his biggest win, a 10-round decision over former lightweight world titlist Mickey Bey on Dec. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Now Kambosos, who gained some notoriety as one of Manny Pacquiao’s recent sparring partners, is going on the road again.
“I’m excited and I cannot wait to fight Lee Selby in this IBF world title eliminator,” Kambosos said “I defeated former world champion Mickey Bey in his backyard at Madison Square Garden in December, and I am ready to beat another former world champion in his backyard in Cardiff, Wales.
“I’m excited for a fight of this magnitude and look forward to retiring Lee Selby in his hometown with a dominating and punishing performance in addition to gaining all of the U.K. supporters that will get behind me toward winning my world title.”
Former featherweight world titlist Selby (28-2, 9 KOs), 33, who will be fighting in his home country for the first time in six years, won a majority decision over former world titlist Ricky Burns in October to remain in the title hunt.
“It’s great to be boxing back at home in Cardiff after six years boxing all over the U.K. and U.S.,” Selby said. “I’m one step away now from a shot at the IBF lightweight world title and 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 9 will be no different.”
In the co-feature, former junior lightweight world title challenger James Tennyson (26-3, 22 KOs), 26, of Northern Ireland, will fight Gavin Gwynne (12-1, 2 KOs), 29, of Wales, for the vacant British lightweight title.