GEORGE Kambosos says he is going to knockout Lee Selby and make the St Joseph’s star “retire in front of his home crowd” when the two contest their IBF world lightweight title eliminator.

Australian Kambosos faces Selby (28-2) at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena on May 9, although the Matchroom show is expected to be postponed because of coronavirus.

However, speaking after the fight was officially announced, unbeaten Kambosos (18-0) didn’t hold back when asked about his Welsh opponent, the former IBF world featherweight champion.

“Straight after the Mickey Bey fight, the IBF made Lee Selby and me the IBF eliminator,” he told Fightnews. “I was super excited. Straight away I said yes – we are in. We jumped at that fight.

“We have a fantastic world-class camp here (Kambosos was training in Miami) and that’s something Selby doesn’t have.

“I have had a good look at Selby and he cannot crack an egg. That shows in his nine KOs.

“If he thinks he is going to hurt me, I am going to smile and laugh at him. Skills wise, he is a pretty boring fighter.

“I am glad the fight is in Wales. I am going to make him retire in front of his home crowd.

“That last hurrah of retirement in his hometown, so I hope he comes to fight in front of his own people to make an exciting fight before I put him away.

“He mentioned he fought two Australian fighters. I am a very proud Australian fighter who represents two flags.

“I am a different level to Joel Brunker and Corey McConnell. If he thinks that I am on that level, he is going to be seriously hurt in front of his own people.

“As a 16-year-old, I was sparring Joel Brunker when he was preparing for Selby and the punishment I gave him would have made the fight easier for Selby.”

That last claim from Kambosos is somewhat puzzling given that, at 26, he would have been 21 when Selby fought Brunker at The O2 in October 2014.

Kambosos continued: “There is so much on the line for this fight. The winner of (Vasyl) Lomachenko vs (Teofimo) Lopez will fight the winner of Kambosos vs Selby.

“My full focus is Lee Selby and we are going to shock a lot of people with our performance. This is not going to a points decision. I am going to KO Selby.

“The 250 rounds sparring with Manny Pacquiao in three training camps has prepared me well for Selby.

“Trading leather with Manny Pacquiao has prepared me for big fights. Bob Arum has expressed we could see the Lomachenko vs Kambosos in Australia.

“Everything is on the line in the Lee Selby fight. Lee Selby has already been a world champion. He has lost the hunger.

“I want him to remember when he was a 26-year-old hungry fighter just before he won his world title. That hunger he had then is the hunger I have now!”