By Yuri Tarantin

Former champion Evgeny Gradovich (19-1-1) is looking for an immediate rematch with Lee Selby (21-1, 8KOs).

The boxers met on May 30th in Selby's backyard at the O2 Arena in London. The fight was stopped in the eight round, due to a cut suffered by Gradovich, and sent to the scorecards. Selby won an eight round technical decision with scores of 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73 - and he also walked away with Gradovich's IBF featherweight championship.

Gradovich, and his manager Egis Klimas, disagree with the doctor's decision to stop the fight. Gradovich told the doctor that his cut was not affecting his vision and he wanted to fight on, but the ringside physician told the referee to call it off.

They were further enraged that night after witnessing Kevin Mitchell's face get battered, with a grotesque swollen/cut left eye, in the following fight with Jorge Linares - and at no time did the doctor step in to wave off the contest.

Gradovich and his team believe Mitchell was allowed to continue because he built up an early lead on scorecards. In fact, at the moment he was knocked out by Linares in the tenth round - Mitchell was up on two cards with scores of 86-84 and 88-82.

A protest has now been filed with the IBF and Gradovich will wait on their ruling for his request to get an immediate rematch.

"We have filed a protest against the result of the fight, and sent all of the papers to the IBF. Now we will wait for the decision of the organization," said Klimas.

Yuri Tarantin covers boxing for Allboxing.ru