By Terence Dooley

Barry’s Lee Selby, 20-1 (8), has done things the traditional way en route to his IBF world featherweight title challenge against Evgeny Gradovich, 19-0-1 (9). 

The Welshman takes on the California-based Russian at London’s O2 Arena on a Eddie Hearn-promoted bill on Saturday night and he believes he has had the perfect preparation going into his first world title tilt due to his steady progression through the rankings.

“It's been a long journey but one where I have been learning along the way,” said Selby when speaking to the South Wales Echo.  “Each fight has been a gradual step up and here is the final fight.  Hopefully I can be victorious and become world champion.  Then I would have won every belt in boxing from the Welsh area title to the Celtic, British and Commonwealth, two WBC international titles, two eliminators and now the final one.”

Selby shot to prominence when stopping the then-undefeated Stephen Smith in 2011 (TKO 8); the 28-year-old believes that he can add the IBF belt to his trophy cabinet if he hits peak form in the Sky Sports Box Office-televised fight.

He said: “I feel confident.  If I box to the best of my ability I will become world champion.  I can rise to the occasion and I know I am up against a good fighter.  I have stopped eight people and he has stopped nine so on paper it's going to go the distance.  I do punch harder than my record suggests and he probably does as well.”

Please send news and views to @Terryboxing.