A look at Lee Selby's five greatest moments after he announces retirement

Lee Selby has confirmed he will hang up the gloves following a shock defeat to Gustavo Daniel Lemos last month.

In an IBF featherweight eliminator, Selby got stopped for the first time in his career in Argentina.

Selby retires having spent 27 years in boxing as an amateur and professional. The Welshman reached the pinnacle of the sport in 2015 and Selby - who leaves with a record of 28-4 - is proud of his achievements.

"My professional career began to little fanfare on the small hall shows at the Newport Centre, it humbled me starting at the bottom on smaller purses and made it all that much sweeter for my team and I as we rose to the top against all the odds.

"I'm proud the team I started with was the same team I ended my career with, and I am grateful for the 14-year pro journey we shared together through all the highs and lows. My management team of Chris and Jamie Sanigar, the endless hours in the gym with my trainer Tony Borg and experienced cornermen Billy Reynolds and Nigel Christian. We can all look back on a job well done.

I had to do things the hard way, going the traditional route winning every possible title along the way including the Welsh, Celtic, British, Commonwealth, European and IBF World Title. I won the Lonsdale belt outright and successfully defended my world title on five occasions.

"Of my 32 professional contests, 22 of those bouts were either title fights or twelve round contests.

"I am proud to be the 12th Welshman to win a world title and my name will now forever sit in the record books alongside those great fighters. When I look back on my career, I have realised everything I set out to achieve."

To celebrate Selby's career, below we look at some of his best moments in the ring.

As a professional, Selby was not a fighter in demand by promoters and had to begin his career the hard way by fighting on small hall shows.

After beginning with four straight wins, he was outpointed by Samir Mouneimne in 2009. Not many bounce back from early defeats like that, let alone secure a promotional deal with some of the biggest promoters in the UK.

However, Selby would respond by racking up 22 successive wins and captured the British, Commonwealth, European and world titles.

In his twelfth fight, Selby challenged Stephen Smith for the British and Commonwealth belts in Smith's backyard.

The odds may have been stacked against him in Liverpool but he took it out of the judges' hands by delivering a ruthless KO in round eight.

In 2015, Selby won the IBF featherweight world title with a technical decision over Russian fighter Evgeny Gradovich.

The fight ended in a TD after Gradovich was unable to continue from an accidental clash of heads, leaving him badly cut.

Gradovich had made four world title defences before the loss and won the title from Billy Dib. While it was an underwhelming finish to the fight, Selby had outclassed him in every department heading into the ninth round and the victory was never in doubt.

In 2018, Selby became the longest-reigning world champion the UK had after a three-year, five fight reign.

His wins were against Fernando Montiel, Eric Hunter, Andoni Gago, Jonathan Victor Barros and Eduardo Ramirez.

Josh Warrington would end his time as champion with a thrilling points win at Elland Road in May, 2018.

As strange as this is for it to be in his most memorable moments, Selby's defeat to George Kambosos Jr makes the list.

Australia's Kambosos Jr fought Selby in the UK and would edge the Welshman out to earn a split decision win although many felt the home fighter had done enough to earn victory.

Kambosos Jr is now the unified lightweight world champion after beating Teofimo Lopez in 2021. He is now set to face Devin Haney in an undisputed showdown in June.

While Selby missed out on the win, it proved that he belonged at world level.