Lee Selby set to defend IBF featherweight title on Frampton-Santa Cruz undercard
IBF featherweight champion Lee Selby (23-1, 8 KOs) will defend his title against former world champion Jonathan Victor Barros (41-4-1, 22 KOs) on January 28 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The Welshman, who has been out of action for 10 months, returns to the ring to defend his IBF belt for the third time when he takes on mandatory challenger Barros on the Carl Frampton-Leo Santa Cruz undercard.
"My mandatory challenger is experienced, dangerous, and I will not take him lightly," said Selby. "I've had a strong training camp and I am 100 percent focused on putting on a show for the American fans and the traveling fans from the UK. My number one objective is to bring my world title back to Wales."
Selby won the 126-pound world title from Evgeny Gradovich by eighth-round technical decision in May 2015. In his first defence in October 2015, he outpointed former three-weight world champion Fernando Montiel in his United States debut, and then in his second defence he got knocked down for the first time in his career in the second round but rallied to win a unanimous decision against Eric Hunter in London last April.
Argentina's Barros made two successful defences of the WBA featherweight title before he lost the belt on points to Celestino Caballero in October 2011.
Barros has won all of his last seven fights since he was stopped by Mikey Garcia, who challenges WBC lightweight champion Dejan Zlaticanin on the same January 28 card.
"I'm very excited for this opportunity to compete for another world title in Las Vegas," said Barros. "I have worked hard to put myself in this position and I am going to make the most of it. Selby has never faced anyone as dangerous as me and I plan on making it a long night for him. I am going to become another Argentine world champion and bring the title back to my country."