Lee Selby believes his previous Stateside trips will help him on his American ring debut next month.

The IBF featherweight champion has chosen to make the first defence of his title against Mexico's Fernando Montiel in Arizona on October 14 rather than take the easier option of fighting on home soil in Wales.

But Selby expects to feel the benefit of past training camps in America, including regular visits to Freddie Roach's renowned Wild Card gym in Los Angeles, as well as experiencing the unique big fight atmosphere of Las Vegas.

"It gives me an edge that I've been out to America training," Selby told Press Association Sport.

"I've seen the big fights out there as well, I've been to all the weigh-ins and stayed in the fight hotel. So I've seen the fighters beforehand and really done it all except for fighting over there.

"Fighters like Joe Calzaghe and Naseem Hamed went out to America at the back end of their careers and if they'd gone out earlier they would have been even bigger, but I'm going as champion making my first defence."

Selby's rise is such that he was fighting on small hall shows little more than three years ago until a dramatic knock-out of Stephen Smith in the Liverpudlian's home town launched his career.

The 28-year-old from Barry has never looked back and defeated the rugged Russian Evgeny Gradovich in May to take the IBF world belt.

Selby's arrival into the big time was confirmed in August when he signed a three-year deal to work with the American Al Haymon, Floyd Mayweather's advisor and boxing's most powerful figure, and his new career path was set.

The plan is to establish Selby in the minds of American fight fans and his showdown with Montiel, a former WBO flyweight and super-flyweight champion and WBC bantamweight belt holder, on national free-to-air television is the first step.

"Al's picked an opponent for me and wanted me to make my debut in America," Selby said.

"Most champions pick a nice easy voluntary for their first defence but I've got an established former three-time world champion.

"But these are the fights I want. I don't want easy defences, I want to fight the best and become the best.

"I'm fighting a big name in America and if I do a good job and look good winning it could change my profile."

Selby, however, insists that becoming world champion has not changed him and he retains the hunger which has seen him record 17 consecutive victories since his only professional defeat to Samir Mouneimne in 2009.

"I'm still starving, training harder than ever," he said. "I do get noticed a lot more when I go out around Barry but I tend to keep myself to myself.

"I don't have a social life and I'm always in the gym and, because I pretty much have fights back-to-back, I don't get much of a break.

"The only thing I've treated myself to since I became world champion is a nice, big necklace - but I don't even wear it!"