By Francisco Salazar

Lightweight contender Jose Felix, Jr. continues to wait for an opportunity to fight for a world title belt.

While he continues to wait, he returns to the ring on February 17, but not in a typical stay-busy fight.

Felix will square off against fringe lightweight contender Jonathan Maicelo, Top Rank matchmaker Brad Goodman recently told BoxingScene.com.

The fight will headline a 'Solo Boxeo Tecate' broadcast on UniMas, beginning at 11 p.m. ET/ PT.

According to Goodman, the 10 round bout will take place somewhere in Texas, either in El Paso or San Antonio.

Felix has risen through the ranks of the lightweight division since suffering his only defeat as a pro to then-interim WBA junior lightweight titleholder Bryan Vasquez in April of 2014.

In his last bout on Oct. 14, Felix (35-1-1, with 27 knockouts) knocked out Alan Herrera in the third round in Studio City, Calif.

Felix, who resides in the boxing hotbed of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico, is ranked number three by the WBO. He could be in line for a world title belt in 2017, but first must get by Maicelo, who has faced strong opposition in his own right.

Maicelo (24-2 1 NC, 12 KOs) has not fought since May 14, when he defeated Ramesis Gil by unanimous decision over eight rounds.

Originally from Callao, Peru and now residing in North Bergen, New Jersey, Maicelo has won his last three bouts since dropping a unanimous decision to Darleys Perez in January of 2015.

Maicelo's most notable bouts were his losses to Rustam Nagaev (April of 2013) and to then-interim WBA lightweight titleholder Darleys Perez (January of 2015). Maicelo does have a 10 round split decision victory over Art Hovhannisyan, which took place in July of 2014.

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, RingTV, and Knockout Nation. He can be reached by email at santio89@yahoo.com or on Twitter at FSalazarBoxing