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Lee Selby to Defend Title Against Jonathan Victor Barros Jan. 28 in Las Vegas

Featherweight world champion Lee Selby will return to the United States on Jan. 28 when he takes on Jonathan Victor Barros at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Showtime announced early Tuesday afternoon that the battle will be the televised live headliner on Showtime Extreme.

Televised coverage on Showtime Extreme begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT with an eight-round middleweight clash between David Benavidez (16-0, 15 KOs) and Sherali Mamajonov (14-1, 7 KOs). If time permits, super lightweight prospect Josh Taylor (7-0, 7 KOs) will see action on TV screens across the country.

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After dominating the U.K. scene and capturing a slew of regional titles. Selby (23-1, 8 KOs) finally won his first world title when he triumphed over Evgeny Gradovich via technical decision in May 2015 to capture the IBF 126-pound belt. He has since defended his title twice by edging both Fernando Montiel and Eric Hunter via decision and he’s giddy to finally fight in Las Vegas.

“It’s been a dream of mine since I was a young kid to box in a world title fight in Las Vegas, the mecca of boxing,” said Selby. “I’ve seen U.K. fighters like Lennox Lewis, Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe and Amir Khan box in Las Vegas and I always knew that’s where I wanted to fight. My mandatory challenger is experienced, dangerous and I will not take him lightly. I’ve had a strong training camp and I am 100 percent focused on putting on a show for the American fans and the travelling fans from the U.K. My number one objective is to bring my world title back (home) to Wales.”

A powerful fighter from Argentina, Barros came up short against Yuriorkis Gamboa for the WBA featherweight title in ’10, but wound up snatching that same belt up several months later by knocking out Irving Berry in the seventh. He retained the belt twice before losing it to Celestino Caballero and he’s confident that he can take Selby’s crown away.

“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.”

The event will serve as a special preliminary card that leads into the massive Showtime Championship Boxing telecast that is headlined by the eagerly-awaited rematch between WBA champ Carl Frampton and former three-time world titlist Leo Santa Cruz. Action for the main card begins on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

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