SELBY’S SUCH A KNOCKOUT
Mark is the new Floyd
MARK SELBY has been hailed as the Floyd Mayweather Jnr of snooker after joining the Crucible all-time greats.
The 33-year-old from Leicester claimed a third Betfred World Championship title in four years with a thrilling 18-15 win over Scotland’s John Higgins on Monday night.
This triumph firmly establishes world No.1 Selby as the dominant force in the sport.
He has pocketed nearly £1m in a recordbreaking season that saw him match the record of five ranking title wins.
Impossible
Selby, top of the rankings for 116 weeks, occasionally gets criticised for a determined style that wears down opponents.
Snooker boss Barry Hearn sees parallels with legendary USA boxer Mayweather, who was a champion at five weights and who finished with a 49-0 record.
Hearn said: “Selby is definitely the Floyd Mayweather of snooker. Mayweather was not a one-punch knockout merchant, or flamboyant in the ring.
“But he had the all-round game that made him impossible to beat. And Selby has got that about him. If it has to be safety, he’ll grind you into the dust. If he is in the balls, he will pot you off the table.
“With Mayweather, opponents would come out afterwards and say, ‘I don’t know how to beat him’. And that is what players, including Ding and Higgins, say after coming off against Mark Selby.
“He has come from a very poor background and done himself proud after a tough life as a kid. He is motivated, and the money he has earned has helped him escape one life and given him a different one through talent, graft and determination.
“And how many boxers could we all name who have done that? With boxers, they are prepared to go through physical pain to achieve their goal.
“With Mark Selby, it is mental pain he is prepared to suffer to better himself and win titles.”
Selby said he is as hungry now as when he turned pro aged 16. He hopes his success can inspire kids in the UK, with so many of the best youngsters currently from China. There is £12m to be won next season and £500,000 to the world champion by 2019.
Selby added: “Seeing the trophies at home in my snooker room cabinet inspires me and makes me want to strive to win more.
“What keeps me hungry is the pure enjoyment of the game. My hunger is there every bit as much as when I turned pro at 16.
Incredible
“If you keep winning tournaments and experience that feeling, there is nothing better. When you lose, you are devastated, so the flip side is what keeps you striving to want more.
“The money is incredible. I have earned nearly £1m this year but that meant winning titles, getting to semis and finals won’t do it.
“To younger players, I would say it is a great sport to be involved in at the moment.
“But, of course, there is a lot of hard work that goes into it. I have been a professional since I was 16, so 17 years, and this is the first year I have earned that sort of figure.”