ANDREW Selby’s quest to follow in the footsteps of older brother Lee and become a world champion has moved a step closer.

The 29-year-old St Joseph’s star and Mexican Julio Cesar Martinez have been ordered to face each other in a final eliminator for the WBC flyweight crown.

The winner would then go on to fight Nicaraguan Cristofer Rosales, who defended his title with a fourth-round stoppage of Ireland’s Paddy Barnes in Belfast in August.

Rosales, 24 today, is someone Selby knows all about having comfortably outpointed him in Cardiff last May.

Less than a year after that contest Rosales beat Japan’s Daigo Higa inside the distance to claim the vacant belt.

As for Martinez, he has 12 bouts under his belt to date, with his only defeat coming on debut three years ago.

However, Selby’s trainer Tony Borg has revealed there is a strong chance of his charge fighting before that.

Borg says the Barry native could well feature in an eight or 10-rounder on the Sanigar Events show in Newport on October 27.

St Joseph’s chief Borg also confirmed that Selby, currently out in Ukraine at the WBC’s annual convention, has been given the green light to box on by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC).

An altercation with a taxi driver in April resulted in a 12-month community order and landed him in hot water with the sport’s governing body.

The Board suspended his licence but have now re-instated it, giving the former Olympian the opportunity to realise his dream of global honours.

“Andrew appeared before the Board and said a few things they weren’t happy with,” said Borg.

“They wanted a further review of the situation and Andrew has been passed to fight.

“He’s been cleared now and is on weight and training, and it’s all systems go.”

He added: “We haven’t had confirmation of the eliminator yet, but it looks like we’re trying to get him eight or 10 rounds on the Newport show, then he’ll box the eliminator.”