Albuquerque— Last night saw a changing of the guard at featherweight. And for this writer it was no surprise.

While Luis Alberto “Venado” Lopez was a heavy favorite, the rumors out of our hometown, Las Vegas, were that Leo was coming for blood.

“Fighting back in my hometown, I always yearned for this moment,” said Leo, 30. “What better way to do it than with a world title shot and a knockout. That left hook we’ve been practicing all camp.” -Angel Leo

In the stunning upset, Angelo Leo claimed the IBF featherweight title with a devastating knockout against Luis Alberto Lopez in the 10th round on Saturday in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Leo (25-1, 12 KOs), fighting in his hometown, delivered a powerful left hook that sent Lopez crashing to the canvas. The champion was unable to beat the count, with the referee waving off the fight at 1:16 of the round. This victory earned Leo his second world title in different weight classes and is likely to be considered a knockout of the year candidate.

Following the fight, Lopez (30-3, 17 KOs) was taken to UNM Hospital for precautionary examination, according to a Top Rank representative who spoke to ESPN.

Leo, who entered the bout as a significant underdog at +350 odds (per BetMGM), was not a top ten ranked fighter prior to this matchup. In contrast, Lopez was ranked No. 1 in the 126-pound division.

The scorecards reflected a closely contested battle, with one judge favoring Lopez 86-85 and the other two giving Leo the same advantage entering the final round. The fight was action-packed throughout, with Leo consistently landing cleaner and harder shots while pressuring the champion. Lopez, known for his relaxed style and low guard, managed to connect with several right uppercuts and powerful punches.

This loss ended Lopez’s 13-fight winning streak and marked his fourth title defense. The 30-year-old Mexican fighter was coming off an eighth-round TKO victory over Reiya Abe in March.

For Leo, this win marks a significant comeback after his sole loss in January 2021 when he lost a decision to Stephen Fulton in a 122-pound title bout.

Coming into the fight Leo was riding a 5 win streak, most recently outpointing Eduardo Baez in April. Leo’s previous world title came in 2020 when he defeated Tramaine Williams for a vacant 122-pound belt.

Here is the KO clip for those who missed it…

By Vincent Quezada

Photos courtesy of Top Rank Boxing