George Kambosis Jr was as good as his word as he produced an impressive all-round display to claim a split points decision over Lee Selby in the IBF lightweight title eliminator at the SSE Arena, Wembley.

After a close first five rounds, Kambosis took over in the second half, landing the better shots and frustrating Selby with his handspeed. The Australian, who sparred more than 250 rounds with Manny Pacquiao during his time at the Wild Card gym, took hold of the centre of the ring and by the end was bullying Selby, the former IBF featherweight champion.

The win makes Kambosis, who beat Mickey Bey, the former IBF champion, in his previous fight, the mandatory challenger for Teofimo Lopez. He has hopes of facing the undisputed world lightweight champion in his native Australia, where crowds have already returned to live sporting events after the lockdown in many areas.

It went largely as Kambosis had predicted as he was a bit too sharp for Selby throughout.

“That’s two former world champions, both in their backyards,” Kambosis said. “I told you I am too fast, too strong, too aggressive, too smart, too powerful, everything.

“What a won. World No 1, mandatory. Lopez, let’s do it Down Under, big crowd, let’s get it on, two warriors, two lions. It’s a massive achievement, but there is so much more to go, a lot more work to do and that is the fight I want next.”

It took some time for Kambosis to work Selby out and often, over the first fice rounds, Selby was able to control the action with his footwork and jab. But by the middle rounds, the Australian started to figure Selby out.

Kambosis had a good sixth, as he got closer and found Selby with the left hook. That trend continued in the seventh, as he started to time Selby well.

Selby got on the front foot in the eighth round, but just before the bell, which sounded after only two minutes, Kambosis landed a hard right hook that stopped the Welshman in his tracks. Selby began the tenth round well, but Kambosis was hunting him down, dominating the centre ring and he landed well to the body.

Try as he might, Selby could not turn things around in the last two rounds, as Kambosis again measured him with a hard right hand on the way to closing out a dominant performance.

It was to be a split decision, though, as British judge Phil Edwards scored it 115-114 for Selby. He was to be over-ruled, though, with Daniel Van de Wiele, of Belgium, scoring 116-112 and Yury Koptsev, of Russia, scoring 118-110, both for the Australian. Bob Williams was the referee.