PROMOTER Eddie Hearn expects Lee Selby to continue his ascent to “boxing superstar,” after the featherweight guaranteed himself a world title shot.

A punch perfect Selby destroyed tough Australian Joel Brunker on Saturday at London’s O2 Arena as he showed every dazzling attribute in his arsenal.

Trained at St Joseph’s boxing gym in Newport, Selby and his team, including head trainer Tony Borg, are now set to be catapulted into a different stratosphere.

It’s no secret that Selby has never been a prolific ticket seller and three years ago he was fighting James Ancliff for the Celtic title in front of 250 people at the Pill Millennium Centre.

Selby was utterly destructive Brunker, closing the fight with a vicious left body shot and onslaught in the ninth round, one in the eye for the critics who claim Selby lacks world class power.

He’ll now move on and has the right to face the IBF world champion, currently Evgeny Gradovich with Hearn hopeful he can stage the battle in the UK in 2015.

“Lee Selby for me, is a superstar of boxing waiting to be discovered and he’s getting closer and closer,” Hearn told the Argus.

“Beating Brunker was a massive, massive thing for him.

“He’s now the mandatory for Gradovich and we aren’t talking fortunes with him, I am confident that is a fight we can make over here in the UK next year.”

Hearn’s attention will now turn to another Gwent fight, with Nathan Cleverly set for a grudge match with domestic rival Tony Bellew in Liverpool next month.

However, Hearn admits that it is Selby who is now Welsh boxing’s flag-bearer.

“I’m really excited about Selby, he’s the flag-bearer and has been for a while, and he’s the one, even though he’s gone under the radar a bit.

“We’ve had to take our time with Selby and sometimes put him on bills in England instead of Wales, but he made a statement on Saturday and now he’s ready.

“I think Lee Selby is going to be a huge star. There is something about him, he just has those qualities.

“I just like him a lot, he doesn’t say a lot, but he just has that star quality.”

Selby’s trainers at St Joes were ecstatic at the victory, posting on social media: “Well what a weekend that was, just got back from London and what a top performance from Lee Selby.

“Over the last three years Lee has impressed with top class displays against British and European fighters, but the Brunker fight confirmed what Team Selby have known for a while, that he is world class.

“He produced a display against unbeaten Joel Brunker that showed his fast hands, great footwork, spiteful punching and maturity.

“He broke Brunker down from the first round... next stop, the IBF world title.”