Angelo Leo claimed each the IBF featherweight title and a spot on the high of 2024’s Knockouts of the 12 months with a stunning one-punch knockout of Luis Alberto Lopez.
Leo (24-1, 11 KO), combating in his native Albuquerque, got here out with a transparent and efficient gameplan: work the jab, punish Lopez’s (30-3, 17 KO) wild swings, power his method inside with physique pictures, and tie up earlier than Lopez can reply again. Regardless of this, Lopez stored issues aggressive all through together with his trademark awkward flurries, discovering specific success with the rear uppercut as Leo dipped his method inside. Rounds typically got here right down to who might seize the initiative first, leading to fixed momentum swings that left the struggle up for grabs because the championship rounds approached.
Partway by the tenth, Lopez fired a jab and dropped his proper hand within the course of, permitting Leo to come back again with a completely excellent left hook that immediately turned “Venado’s” lights out. Lopez’s head slammed into the mat, 100% out chilly, and barely managed to regain a fraction of consciousness by the point the depend hit 10.
The 30-year-old Leo, who missed out on practically two and a half years of his combating prime, is now formally a two-division champion. He got here in with the precise plan, continued to execute regardless of Lopez’s finest efforts, and wound up flattening one of many extra notoriously sturdy featherweights within the sport.
As for Lopez, his lackadaisical strategy to protection lastly caught up with him. His energy and singular fashion weren’t sufficient to bail him out, leaving his technical shortcomings on the forefront. He’s received some rebuilding to do; he’ll by no means be a standard boxer and shouldn’t attempt to be one, because it doesn’t play to his strengths, however he completely must tighten issues up now that he can not belief his chin.
As an apart, I need to level out referee Ernie Sharif’s poor efficiency. Sharif was inconsistent in calling quite a few low blows and rabbit punches and lacked any type of authority, providing little greater than stern warnings and the occasional chastisement. He wasn’t outfitted for this type of rough-and-tumble struggle.
Lindolfo Delgado out-slugs Bryan Flores in battle of unbeatens
2016 Olympian Lindolfo Delgado stored his spotless file intact with a hard-fought cut up determination over the very sport Bryan Flores.
Delgado (21-0, 15 KO) received off to a considerably gradual begin, however caught the super-aggressive Flores (26-1-1, 15 KO) coming in with a chopping proper for a flash knockdown within the third. Relatively than capitalize on his benefit, he elected to stay in cruise management, permitting Flores to grab the reins with fixed exercise and attention-grabbing energy pictures.
Delgado wakened some within the sixth, exhibiting off audibly more durable punches, and received a lucky break within the seventh when Flores, contemporary off a warning for a low blow, received docked some extent when a left hand bounced off Delgado’s elbow and into his groin.
The motion was regular, albeit not terribly engrossing, however quickly picked up significantly. The pair spent the previous couple of rounds buying and selling at point-blank vary, Flores leaning on mauling clinch work and Delgado on highly effective combos. Flores appeared to expire of steam within the ninth, solely to come back out reinvigorated and placed on a extremely aggressive last spherical.
Regardless of that surge, Delgado’s late efforts have been sufficient to get him very justifiable 96-92 and 95-93 scorecards. The third, a 96-92 for Flores from Chris Tellez, was borderline indefensible.
Delgado doesn’t appear to be a menace to the division elite, but when he can begin extra rapidly and ratchet up his output, he’s received the instruments to offer anybody a troublesome out. As for Flores, I hope to see extra of him on future High Rank playing cards.
