LEE Selby has waited 20-years to be considered a star of the boxing world... and he’s not willing to wait any longer.

The 28-year old St Joes fighter challenges Evgeny Gradovich for his IBF featherweight world title on Saturday at the O2 Arena in London, bidding to become Wales’ 12 world champion fighter.

And after doing things the hard way in his career, Selby, who is no stranger to small hall shows and even smaller purses, admits he now feels ready to rule the world, or at least, the featherweight division.

“Gradovich is a top fighter and he’s been a very good champion. He’s probably my toughest test, I’m his fifth defence and he’s willing to come to London. All credit to him for that,” he said.

“But I want that recognition; I belong on the world level and to get that credit, I need to beat an established world champion.

“They call him a Mexican Russian, he’s an aggressive, front-foot fighter and I will try and outbox him off the back foot, but I can have a tear up if I want to.

“I’ve been built up as a very old school fighter and I’ve gone slowly and surely towards this level.

“I’ve won Welsh, Celtic, British – outright against mandatory opponents, Commonwealth and European titles. It is the hardest way possible to make your way through the ranks.

“I’ve won two WBC international titles, boxed in two eliminators, and now finally the world title. But no one can question if I deserve to be where I am, because I’ve taken no shortcuts. I’ve done it all the hard way.

“I know fighters tend to think they know best, but I listen to people, that’s the way I’ve always been.

“I listen to my father, my trainer and my manager and that has paid off for me. It’s been a long road here, but it is well worth it.

“Boxing has been my life for 20-years, being part of the sport defines me as a person.”

Selby admits he’s enjoying being a central figure among the new wave of British fighters, leading the way with the likes of Anthony Joshua and James DeGale.

“I’m part of this group of British fighters and we want to rule the world, the featherweight division is stacked, there are massive super fights out there for me in America,” he said.

“I’m enjoying these bills with Anthony Joshua, he trained with my brother and he’s attracting new fans to boxing, so we are a good blend together and can keep selling out shows.

“I used to struggle to sell out the Pill Millennium Centre and now I’m sending five coach loads to London.

“I hope I am proof of the fact that you can get to the top on hard work. When I was 25-years old it was empty arenas, now I am part of a sold-out show at the O2. It’s a great change for me.”

Selby insists those around him will never let him change into a big head.

“It is the biggest fight of my life, but I’m grounded. The people around me keep me calm, I never get ahead of myself,” he said.

“I go to Vegas a lot, Hollywood, but nothing changes, however far I get, however much money to make, I’ll never get away with acting like I’m big time, my family and friends would be the first to get into me and tell me ‘who do you think you are.’