Lee Selby expects to face Eric Hunter at the end of March

Lee Selby is in talks to defend his IBF world featherweight title against Eric Hunter in Cardiff in March.

The 28-year-old Welshman (22-1-KO8) was last in action in October in Arizona where he outpointed Fernando Montiel and is hoping for a homecoming against mandatory challenger Hunter (21-3-KO11).

Selby told Sky Sports: "The negotiations are underway. Hunter was supposed to fight an eliminator and I was supposed to fight the winner by March 1, but since that got called off it's looking like the end of March now.

"I'd like the fight to be in Cardiff. It's going to be a tough fight so I'd like it to be on home turf. I'll take any advantage I can get."

If he wants to fight then I'll beat him up, if he wants to box then I'll win it that way. I expect to be on the front foot for much of this fight.

Two of Hunter's three defeats have come via disqualification but Selby is confident he will be able to deal with any rough-house tactics from the Philadelphian.

Asked if he'd ever faced anyone as apparently keen to use illegal tactics before, 'Lightning' said: "Not in the ring anyway! It will bring out the best in me, to be honest. If he wants to fight then I'll beat him up, if he wants to box then I'll win it that way.

"I expect to be on the front foot for much of this fight. It's tough to work out whether he's orthodox or southpaw because he switches a lot, but he likes to slow it down and box behind that trademark Philadelphia shoulder roll. He's got a good left hook.

"I've been working on everything. I was straight back in the gym after the Montiel fight and I've been working on my defence, my footwork and my power. After the Hunter fight, I'm looking to have a massive fight in the summer."

Selby won the world title in May 2015 when he produced a clinical eighth-round stoppage of Evgeny Gradovich at The O2 in London.