IBF middleweight titleholder Daniel Geale will return to the ring on February 29 in Australia, facing Osumanu Adama.

You might expect a bit about Geale breaking his promises and facing another soft challenger, but two things: First, at least this one has an explanation, as Adama (20-2, 15 KO) is the IBF mandatory challenger due to his October 7 whooping of faded veteran Roman Karmazin.

And second, it's tough to not feel good for Adama, a rugged guy who can fight and is exactly the sort of fighter who doesn't really get opportunities. The 30-year-old Ghanaian, based in Miami, was given the shaft in an eight-round decision loss to Don George in 2010, and his only other loss came in 2009 to Dyah Davis, another pretty good fighter, and that was right when Adama started to transition into being a full-time fighter.

Unless he pulls the upset and makes it count, this is probably going to be the only chance Adama ever gets at a title.

And it's just not that bad of a fight. Geale (26-1, 15 KO) is taking a better fight here than he did against a game but overmatched Eromosele Albert in August, and I guess the biggest thing is it's hard to pretend to be surprised. Geale said he wasn't going to hostage a belt at home, but of course he was. This is just sort of the way it was always going to be. I expect Geale will take a shot only when he's established at home to the point that he can't really lose value by going on the road and taking a genuine risk.

Maybe it's just the Christmas spirit flowing through my veins, but I'm not going to argue with this fight. It beats some of the gunk they're putting on TV over here.