UNBEATEN Gavin Gwynne has got his eyes on more than one prize in 2019 as he bids to following in the footsteps of inspirational St Joseph’s stablemate Lee Selby.

Former IBF featherweight king Selby boasts a career including Welsh, Celtic, Commonwealth, British, European and world titles – and it’s a CV that 28-year-old lightweight Gwynne wants to match.

He already has a Welsh strap to his name after beating Henry Janes in a barnstorming affair just over a year ago, with pro title number two up for grabs in Merthyr Tydfil on March 9.

The valleys town’s leisure centre, where Gwynne outpointed Janes in December 2017, will be the venue for the Welshman’s tilt at the vacant Celtic lightweight belt against Scot Darren Traynor (15-3).

Gwynne (10-0), whose last outing in October saw him beat Myron Mills in a British title eliminator, has been preparing for the contest with Selby out in Los Angeles.

Selby is gearing up for a return to the ring at lightweight on February 23, American Omar Douglas his opponent at the O2 in London on the undercard of the James DeGale-Chris Eubank Jnr clash.

Barry’s Selby wants to add another string to his bow by becoming a two-weight world champion.

But it wasn’t all that long ago he was just warming up in his pursuit of the sport’s biggest prize, a similar place to where Gwynne finds himself now.

On training alongside Selby, Gwynne said: “It’s brilliant. You couldn’t ask for better experience than being with Lee.

“He has progressed through every level and done it the hard way, and that’s the way I’m going, I’m going down the same route as Lee in terms of titles.

“Hopefully by the end of the year I’ll have the Commonwealth or British title – that’s the plan.

“I had a talk with Lee and I told him that’s what I want to get out of this year, the British or Commonwealth, and then next year I’ll look to push on again.

“But I’m not looking past March 9, that’s a major title and it’s what I want.

“The Celtic title is a step up for me. Hopefully I’ll come out victorious on the night and then push on towards the British title.”

After defeating Mills, Gwynne, from Trelewis, felt a challenge for the Lonsdale Belt wouldn’t have been far away.

He added: “After my last fight I thought I would have been mandatory for the British title having beaten someone ranked higher than me.

“Lewis Ritson is now fighting Andy Townend (on March 23) who hasn’t faced any lightweight with a winning record in the last six or seven months, so I don’t know how he gets his chance.”

Gwynne and Selby have a few days of their US trip left, and it’s thanks to his sponsors that the former has been able to enjoy such a worthwhile experience.

“I’m away from work for two weeks and my sponsors have helped with that,” he said.

“If I didn’t have sponsors then I wouldn’t have been able to do it.

“These sponsors are helping me with things like my mortgage, which is great when you’ve also got a young family.

“It allows me to train full-time for two weeks – if I was home I’d have to fit my training in around work.

“This way I have a full two weeks where I’m getting some world-class sparring.

“Being away from my son is hard but I’ve got to do these things to better my career.

“It’s not a break, it’s all about hard rounds, and that’s what I need. You’re not going to get anything better.”

* Gwynne would like to thank Nelson Pizza, The Luxury Source, Lonsdale, Cleanbite, Lidster’s Fishing Supplies, Mid Glam Fork Truck Training Services, Dario Security, Bayside Estates, G Force Telecomms, Gwent Motor Company and Acorn Travel for their support.