Lee Selby said he wants to unify the featherweight division and hopes to face the winner of Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz Lee Selby said he wants to unify the featherweight division and hopes to face the winner of Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz

Lee Selby says that he needs to shine on his Las Vegas debut if he wants to set up a blockbuster clash with the winner of the rematch between Carl Frampton and Leo Santa Cruz.

The Welsh featherweight will defend his IBF world title against Jonathan Victor Barros at the MGM Grand this Sunday morning, live on Sky Sports, on the undercard to Frampton and Santa Cruz's WBA contested bout.

Ideally, Selby would like to face the winner but the 29-year-old is aware that he needs to put in a shining performance if he is to set up a unification showdown.

Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, he said: "It's a dream for every boxer to fight in Vegas so it is great to have this opportunity, but it is important that I shine under the lights.

Lee Selby is chasing a unification fight

"[Jonathan Victor] Barros is a former WBA champion, a big puncher with an unorthodox style, I can't afford to take my eye off the ball.

"He's very dangerous and will be coming in as a hungry underdog, it's his chance to regain a world title, but I'm not going to let that happen.

"The main thing of course is to win and then after that, look at the different outcomes. If I look good then I want the winner of Frampton and Santa Cruz.

"Ideally, I will get that fight and I think that's why I'm on the show, it's natural for people to compare the winners of our fights."

Lee Selby (right) outpointed Eric Hunter in his last outing despite being knocked down in the second round

Selby was sat ringside for the first thrilling fight between his fellow featherweights and is hopeful that it will be a similar outcome this time round.

He added: "The first fight was a brilliant one, I was sat ringside for it and it was pretty even throughout. At the final bell I couldn't split them and I think the next fight will be the same, although Santa Cruz might have a slight advantage with it now being on the east coast.

"Of course, I want Frampton to win as a fellow British fighter and hopefully we can then get it on down the line. It's a super fight and the kind I want to be involved in them."

Watch Lee Selby's IBF title defence against Jonathan Victor Barros and Carl Frampton's rematch against Leo Santa Cruz in Las Vegas, live on Sky Sports 1, from 1am on Sunday January 29.