By Elliot Foster

Lee Selby has indicated that he will move up in weight before returning to the ring.

The Welshman surrendered his IBF featherweight world title on Saturday in Leeds.

Selby, who is now 26-2 with nine early finishes, appears to have made the nine-stone limit for the final time after losing his global honour to hometown hero Josh Warrington, exclusively live on BoxNation and BT Sport, at Elland Road.

The fight was not only for Selby’s belt but it was also an eliminator to find out who could be in the opposite corner to Carl Frampton on August 18.

Frampton, the WBO interim champion at the weight, is back at Belfast’s Windsor Park on the aforementioned date, exclusively live on BT Sport.

And with the victory, by split decision margins of 115-113, 112-116 and 113-115, Warrington has put himself in pole position to be named as the opponent for ‘The Jackal’.

But Selby will now be forced to regroup after losing his belt in the fifth defence.

“I was Britain’s longest reigning world champion but it came at a price,” Selby, who thanked everyone for their support, said in a statement on social media on Sunday. “I felt it in the ring [on Saturday].

“I’ve been making the featherweight limit for 10 years, but it was just one fight too many at that weight and my performance badly reflected that.”

Selby, who has said that he will enjoy the summer with his family before moving up in weight and returning, finished the statement with sheer class.

He concluded: “Congratulations to Josh Warrington and I wish him all the best in the future.”