Fans of heavyweight boxing are in for a treat September 26, when two of the most powerful big men in the division highlight a Premier Boxing Champions card in Birmingham, Alabama.
Unbeaten 2012 U.S. Olympian Dominic Breazeale has gained 14 of his 15 professional victories by knockout.
In addition to the previously announced main-event showdown between heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder and Johann Duhaupas, hammer-fisted prospect Dominic “Trouble” Breazeale (15-0, 14 KOs) will put his unbeaten record on the line against “Big” Fred Kassi (NBC, 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT).
The scheduled 10-round clash—which replaces the originally scheduled fight between Omar Figueroa and Antonio DeMarco after Figueroa was forced to withdraw because of an elbow injury—will kick off the PBC on NBC card from Birmingham's Legacy Arena.
A 2012 U.S. Olympian, Breazeale last fought on June 6, when he started slowly against Yasmany Consuegra before earning a third-round technical knockout. It was the fourth consecutive time that the 6-foot-7 Southern California native stopped his opponent inside of five rounds.
In fact, except for an eight-round unanimous-decision victory over Nagy Aguliera in April 2014, no foe has lasted more than four rounds against Breazeale.
Kassi (18-3-1, 10 KOs) will be hoping to change that, although it’s been more than two years since the New Orleans resident has tasted victory. After knocking out Shannon Caudle in the third round in August 2013, Kassi suffered a knockout loss to Amir Mansour in November.
Kassi last fought on July 18, when he battled Chris Arreola to a majority-decision draw.
Following the Wilder-Duhaupas and Breazeale-Kassi contests, another heavyweight battle will match undefeated Charles Martin (21-0-1, 19 KOs) against Vicente Sandez (15-4, 10 KOs).
Further undercard action features unbeaten 2012 U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha (15-0, 8 KOs) taking on Puerto Rico's Eliezer Gonzalez (15-1, 10 KOs) in a 154-pound bout, plus Bryant Perella (10-0, 9 KOs) in a 147-pound fight and Mario Barrios (11-0, 6 KOs) in a 130-pound contest.
NBC's coverage of the fight card will switch over to NBCSN at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.
