Joshua to face Breazeale in first defence

Undefeated American heavyweight Dominic Breazeale will challenge Anthony Joshua for his IBF title at London's O2 Arena on June 25.

The 30-year-old former US Olympic heavyweight was selected Monday as Joshua's opponent for his first title defence.

Joshua, the super heavyweight gold medallist from the 2012 London Olympics, knocked out Charles Martin in the second round at the O2 Arena on April 9 to take the title from the American.

Breazeale has won 15 of his 17 fights by knockout. In his last fight in Los Angeles in January, he overcame a knockdown to remain unbeaten when Amir Mansour quit before the sixth round with an apparently broken jaw.

"My coaches have watched Breazeale for a long time and they knew he was going to be a player in the division and now we get the chance to go war on June 25," Joshua said.

"It's sure to be explosive. Both of us like to let our hands go and score knockouts. We are both undefeated and both have Olympic pedigree."

Breazeale lost a decision to Russia's Magomed Omarov in the first round at the London Olympics.

Joshua is also eyeing a potential heavyweight unification bout against fellow British fighter Tyson Fury, who holds the WBA and WBO belts.

"I am looking to get past Breazeale in style and continue moving toward the unification fight everybody is waiting for," he said.

Promoters said British super middleweight George Groves will fight domestic rival Martin Murray on the Joshua-Breazeale undercard in an eliminator for the WBA title.