Andrew Selby returns to the ring this weekend as a man in a hurry, determined to make up for lost time.
The Welsh flyweight and one-time world title prospect wants to put a year’s inactivity behind him when he takes on Tanzania’s Adam Yahaya on Saturday night at the Newport Centre, live on S4C.
Selby looked to be firmly on his way to a world title challenge in record time before the death of his mother, a court appearance, and the temporary suspension of his licence made it a wretched 12 months.
At one stage, he even considered retirement but now the Barry fighter is back on the Sanigar Events card that also features a Commonwealth title and two Welsh titles on S4C’s latest free-to-air fight night.
If Selby comes through and shows no ill effects from his lay-off, then he is eyeing a final eliminator with Mexican Julio César Martinez for the WBC world flyweight crown – a fight that is expected to take place before the end of the year.
It will be the first fight for Selby, who is Wales’ most decorated amateur boxer, since he pulled out of last April’s European title fight with Frenchman Vincent Legrand.
Selby, brother of former world champion Lee, said: “I’m still in my prime. I’m 29 and I’ve got a lot to prove. I’m still ranked number one in the world rankings.
“In 2017, I lost my mother. I was due to fight for the European title but about three weeks before the fight, I went over on my ankle so I had to pull out of the fight.
“I’ve been sparring the likes of world champions, ex-world champions. I’ve been sparring my brother. Obviously he’s moved up to lightweight now, so it’s great sparring him for the power and the speed. He’s really fast.
“The (current) world champion (WBC Flyweight Champion, Cristofer Rosales) – I beat him last year, so he’s just holding my belt for me and waiting for my comeback, which is on Saturday.“
S4C’s Bocsio Byw (Live Boxing) programme will feature Welsh language commentary, with English language commentary – provided by former WBU World title holder and now leading trainer Gary Lockett and John Hardy – available via the red button service.
Topping the bill is the Commonwealth Super Bantamweight title bout between hometown fighter Robbie Turley and Bristol’s Ashley Lane.
Tony Dixon, of Mountain Ash, and Kieran Gething of Pontypool, will fight for the vacant Welsh welterweight title.
And it will be Wales versus England in a lightewight elimination contest as Gavin Gwynne, from Trelewis and Myron Mills, from Derby, battle it out, with the winner moving on to fight for the prestigious British Lonsdale belt.
The programme will also round up the evening’s other fights, including Ruthin fighter Sion Yaxley’s debut professional fight against Paul Cummings, Fred Evans’ sixth professional fight versus Ryan Toms, and Nathan Thorley’s latest outing.
The event is the third live night fight to be shown by S4C in the last 12 months, having previously shown two Sanigar Events cards, in Merthyr Leisure Centre last December, and the Cardiff Ice Arena in April this year.
S4C is available to watch throughout the UK on Sky (channel 104 in Wales, 136 in the rest of the UK), Virgin TV (channel 166 in Wales and the rest of the UK) and Freesat (channel 104 in Wales, 120 in the rest of the UK). It will also be shown online on the S4C homepage, s4c.cymru, the S4C Clic app for iOS and Android, and via BBC iPlayer.
Bocsio Byw (Live Boxing)
Saturday 27 October, 8.25pm
English commentary and subtitles available
Available to watch on-demand at s4c.cymru, iPlayer and other platforms