ST JOSEPH’S star Lee Selby admitted he was disappointed with his performance in victory over Mexican veteran Fernando Montiel but was pleased to get his first win in the US under his belt.

The 28-year-old retained his IBF world featherweight title with a unanimous points verdict in Phoenix, Arizona.

After a gruelling 12 rounds in his American debut, the judges scored it 119-109, 118-110 and 116-12 in Selby’s favour.

Afterwards he tweeted “And Still!” – the words accompanying a photograph of himself holding the IBF belt above his head with the text “Winner and still world champion.”

But he told matchroomboxing.com that he was not at his best.

“My jab, reach and speed were my biggest advantages tonight. That was how I got the win,” said the Barry-born boxer, who trains with Tony Borg at St Joes in Newport.

“All the cuts I've had in my career have come against shorter fighters like (Montiel). When I got cut tonight in the sixth round it was the same thing. I caught a head butt.

“I was honestly disappointed in my performance tonight,” he added.

“I got the win and it was a great feeling to get my first one on US soil, but the fans didn't see me at my best and a big part of that was Montiel's experience. He's a great fighter.”

With a red dragon flag at ringside, Selby began positively but his corner had cause for concern following a mid-bout burst from 36-year-old Montiel.

Fortunately for the champion's sake, he was able to take the sting out of the counter-attack and enforce greater control over the closing rounds, leaving it to the judges to confirm he would retain the belt.

Montiel made a habit of finishing rounds strongly, but the judges were not persuaded his overall impact was enough.

Selby hit the canvas in the 10th round, but it was nothing more than a slip, and he remained in control of his destiny heading to the 12th.

Montiel, a former three-weight world champion, required a knock-down but, like Selby, looked ready to leave the judges to deliver their verdict.

The score from the first two judges looked distinctly generous, with the third decision better reflecting a contest Selby was glad to get out of the way.

It meant the first defence of the title he won in London in May, beating Russian Evgeny Gradovich, was secure.