By Francisco Salazar
As BoxingScene.com reported last week, heavyweight contender Dominic Breazeale will return to the ring on February 25. Breazeale announced on his social media accounts Thursday evening.
Breazeale is penciled to face Artur Szpilka on a Premier Boxing Champions card at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. The Breazeale-Szpilka bout will precede the 12 round heavyweight bout between WBC titleholder Deontay Wilder and once-beaten Andrzej Wawrzyk of Poland.
Both bouts would air live on FOX. PBC has yet to officially confirm the contest.
Breazeale (17-1, 15 KOs) has not fought since June 25, when he fell short in his attempt to defeat IBF heavyweight titleholder Anthony Joshua. Despite a significant height advantage, Joshua broke Breazeale down, stopping him in round seven.
"I am truly excited to be returning to the ring," said Breazeale in a statement posted on his social media accounts. "After my last bout with Anthony Joshua, I have been just patiently waiting to get back in the ring and work my way back to another shot at the title."
Breazeale, who resides in the Los Angeles suburb of Alhambra, hopes an impressive performance over Szpilka would guarantee him a shot at Wilder's WBC title belt.
"I'm the co-main event on WBC World Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder's card and I want him to know that I want a crack at that title."
"What a better way to show him then in person. Alabama has great fans and I can't wait to put on a show for them."
The southpaw Szpilka (20-2, 15 KOs) will return to action for the first time in over a year. In his last bout on January 16 in Brooklyn, N.Y., Szpilka was knocked out with one punch in round nine at the hands of Wilder.
The loss snapped a four-bout winning streak for the fighter from Wieliczka, Poland.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for Boxingscene.com since September of 2012 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (Calif.) Star newspaper, Boxingscene.com, and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing