ST JOSEPH’S fighter Andrew Selby is excited to be following in his brother’s footsteps after he threw off the shackles of the amateur game to make an explosive professional debut at the Newport Centre.

Selby, younger brother of IBF featherweight world champion Lee, was a two-time European champion and world silver medallist as an amateur.

He also shone in the World Series of Boxing for the British Lionhearts but after missing out on medals at London 2012 and last year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow he’d had enough.

And the 26-year-old wasn’t prepared to waste any more time on his pro bow on Friday night.

He knocked down the experienced Haji Juma of Tanzania in the first and third rounds before referee Reece Carter stopped the fight after two minutes and 29 seconds of round four.

“I really enjoyed it,” said the Barry boxer, who trains with Tony Borg at St Joes in Newport.

“It was a wicked turnout with my fans and it was a wicked buzz to get the first one out of the way – I was really nervous.

“The plan was to box behind the jab, tuck my chin down and just see what his power was like.

“But the crowd got to me a bit and as soon as I hit him with one punch I just thought ‘I’m way too strong for you’.

“I thought I was much faster. He’s a seasoned pro and he was slow so I think my amateur style was too fast for him.”

The fireworks were in stark contrast to Selby’s dismal display at Glasgow 2014 when went in as gold medal favourite at 52kg but lost to home favourite Reece McFadden.

“I wanted to go pro a while back but I was in contracts with GB,” he explained.

“But you could see my performance out there compared to the Commonwealth Games – it was completely different.

“I was excited going out there and at the Commonwealth Games I was just flat. I just didn’t want it as much and my heart wasn’t in it.

“I thought about Rio but I was just so fed up of fighting the same people in the same tournaments.

“I would have had a good chance of qualifying but I just thought I’d done it for too long.

“I’m 27 at Christmas now so I’m not getting any younger and I’ve watched my brother win titles and win big money.

“With GB you have to get a medal at the world championships or gold at the Europeans just to get the top level of funding and that’s really hard.”

Selby revealed that he has enjoyed a helping hand from his older brother as he made the transition to the professional ranks and he’s aiming to keep busy.

“He’s been helping me out on the pads and when I’ve been running he’s been out with me on the bike,” he said of Lee.

“He’s been telling me what to do and I could hear him in the crowd so he’s been a really good help.”

He added: “It’s not confirmed but Chris [Sanigar, Selby’s manager] is trying to get me on in November and we’ll try to have another one, maybe two before Christmas.”

Ebbw Vale’s Ashley Brace also enjoyed a successful start to her pro career with a 40-36 points victory over Bulgarian bantamweight Bojana Libiszewska in the first officially licensed women’s bout to be held in Wales.

Elsewhere on the Sanigar Events bill there was a 60-54 points win for Cwmbran’s Jamie Arthur in his first fight for more than three years.

There were 40-36 points win for St Joes pair Robbie Turley and Danni Griffiths.

There were also victories for Dorian Darch, Nathan Thorley and Pontypridd pair Kyle Jones and Jermaine Asare.

Bridgend’s Richie Canning beat Alec Bazza and Ferndale fighter Barrie Jones knocked out Swansea’s James Lilley to win the Welsh super-welterweight title.