Southland’s Dominic Breazeale earns heavyweight title shot at Britain’s Anthony Joshua

Unbeaten heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua of Britain won his belt by defeating a Southland-based fighter, and Joshua’s first title defense will come against another with L.A. roots.

Dominic Breazeale, an Alhambra-raised 2012 U.S. Olympian, was selected to fight International Boxing Federation champion Joshua (16-0, 16 knockouts) June 25 at London’s O2 Arena.

On April 9, Joshua, 26, won the belt from North Hollywood’s Charles Martin, knocking him out in the second round at O2 Arena.

Breazeale, like Martin, participated in the late television producer Michael King’s All-American Heavyweights program in Carson, and improved to 17-0 with his 15th knockout on Jan. 23 at Staples Center.

In a compelling bout versus veteran Amir Mansour, Breazeale, 30, was rocked early in the bout and was knocked down in the third round, only to rally and punish Mansour in the fifth.

Breazeale, reeling from the death of his mother days before the bout, delivered an uppercut that caused Mansour to bite through his tongue and retire on his stool before the sixth round began.