Angelo Leo Aims To Profit On Featherweight Title Showdown's Defensive Weaknesses

Leo is confident ahead of IBF champion Luis Alberto Lopez's hometown clash

In his native Albuquerque, New Mexico, Angelo Leo gets up for a high-stakes fight against Luis Alberto Lopez /

By Mohamed Bahaa

Former junior featherweight champion Angelo Leo is scheduled to make a big comeback this Saturday in a high-stakes fight with Luis Alberto "Venado" Lopez for the IBF featherweight belt. Headlining the evening, the match will take place in Tingley Coliseum in Leo's birthplace of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

When Leo considered the chance to fight in front of a home audience, he exuded excitement and said, "It's absolutely a dream come true and a blessing. Not in my hometown can I lose. That is not something I do."

Leo, with a 24-win, 1-loss, 11-knockout professional record, hasn't fought in New Mexico since 2015. Though he has been out for some time, he is anxious to return to the ring and challenge once again. Leo first became well-known in 2020 after defeating Tramaine Williams to earn the WBO 122-pound belt. Still, his rule was brief when he lost the title in his following encounter with Stephen Fulton.

Following his first career loss, the 30-year-old fighter suffered; but, he recovered with a victory over Aaron Alameda in June 2021. But when he stopped competing for two and a half years, inactivity ensued. Leo signed with ProBox, driven to restart his career, and fought three bouts between November and April, winning against previous championship challenger Eduardo Baez, Mike Plania, and Nicolas Polanco.

"I had a hiccup in my career with activity after the Alameda fight, but I got my career back on track when I signed with ProBox and made up lost time," Leo said. " Looking back at the Fulton fight, I was not as mature as I ought to have been. That is boxing, though; you survive and grow from such errors. Right now, I have far more tools at my disposal.

Leo feels sure he can take advantage of the flaws he notes in his opponent's game as he gets ready to meet Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs). Claiming the IBF featherweight gold by defeating Josh Warrington and then deftly defending it against Michael Conlan, Joet Gonzalez, and Reiya Abe, 30-year-old Mexican fighter Lopez has had a strong run.

“He's the 126-pound champion who has been buzzing the most,” Leo acknowledged. While praising Lopez’s power, Leo also pointed out the flaws in his defense. "Lopez does a lot of things well and a lot of people don't give him credit for his style. He's got good power and that's something that negates his awkward and unconventional style. We're looking to exploit that ... He's definitely hittable and has a lot of defensive flaws."

Conscious of his own weaknesses, Leo said, "I'm hittable as well though. But a real champion can adapt to everything. I would like to display pedigree. I am ready for all of that; I can slug it, box, move. "