Lopez vs Leo Fight Results: Leo Scores KO of The Year Candidate (Video)

Albuquerque, hoist your champion.

Angelo Leo claimed both the IBF featherweight title and likely the 2024 Knockout of the Year in one night with a stunning, one-punch knockout of Luis Alberto ‘Venado’ Lopez to become a two-division world champion Saturday night in front of his hometown fans at Tingley Coliseum.

Leo, fighting in his hometown of Albuquerque, connected with a scintillating left hook that countered a lazy jab from Lopez, dropping the now-former champion to the canvas. The referee counted, but there was no need to, as Lopez lay motionless on the floor as he was counted out at 1:16.

The 30-year-old Leo (24-1, 11 KO), who previously held a world title at 122 pounds, had a clear objective from the onset: remain composed, ignore Lopez’s antics, use the jab, and counter his wild adversary with punishing blows. The bout was competitive, with Lopez connecting with hard shots throughout, including his right uppercut, which repeatedly tagged Leo on the chin. But as the championship rounds dawned upon both fighters, the ball was in their court to seize the moment. And Leo knocked it out of the park, well, Lopez’s head that is.

It was only a matter of time before Lopez’s unorthodox fighting style, which requires little to no defense, came back to bite him, and it was brutal. In round ten, Lopez fired a jab and dropped his right hand simultaneously, and Leo was waiting for it and timed him with a scintillating left hook that turned out Venado’s lights, causing his head to slam on the mat and bounce three times.

Since losing in his first 122-pound title defense to Stephen Fulton in 2021, Leo (25-1, 12 KOs) has won five bouts in a row, including three by way of knockout. Lopez (30-3, 17 KOs), 30, of Mexico, was knocked out for the first time and lost his first fight since May 2019, when he was outpointed by Ruben Villa.

It was non-stop action in the opening round. Lopez landed a big right hand with 57 seconds remaining in the frame, but Leo out landed him 13-10. Leo connected with a crisp left hook to the body as they neared the one-minute mark of the second, but the shot strayed low, and the referee warned him. Moments later, Leo was warned again for the same thing and went on the attack. Down the stretch, Leo countered Lopez with a right over the top and a series of shots to the body.

1:17 into the third round, Lopez caught Leo with a solid right uppercut on the inside. He followed up with another right uppercut and a left hook to the body. The cat-and-mouse game continued into round four as both fighters traded hard shots. With a minute to go, Lopez connected with a hard right uppercut, and Leo fired back with a right cross that backed his opponent up. In round five, Leo’s lateral movement began to befuddle Lopez, but the latter continued to land the heavier punches, including right uppercuts and left hooks downstairs. By the sixth, Lopez turned to the referee for help as Leo began to school him with superior skills and timing but that break never came. It got worse for Venado.

Leo suffered a cut over his bruised right eye in the ninth round, but an exhausted Lopez was in no condition to capitalize. His signature power? Absent. His speed and reflexes? Limited. And that set up for the dramatic finish in the tenth, when Leo tattooed Lopez with a perfect left hook, completing a performance that will not soon be forgotten, not by those watching on television, and certainly not by his hometown fans who witnessed their boy win a world championship in their town.

Lindolfo Delgado Scores A Split Decision Victory on ESPN

In the co-main event, Lindolfo Delgado (21-0, 15 KOs) handed Bryan Flores (26-0-1, 15 KOs) his first loss as a professional in a 10-round split decision. Delgado scored an early knockdown, and Flores rallied to put himself back into contention. However, the latter got himself into trouble with the referee.

After three warnings for low blows, Flores was docked a point in round seven after he connected with a left hand to the elbow of Delgado, causing the punch to deflect and hit Delgado below the belt. Unfortunately for Flores, the referee failed to see the deflection and immediately took a point away. With the win, Mexico’s Delgado, 29, claimed a vacant secondary belt.

Ryan O'Hara

Ryan O’Hara is an award-winning sportswriter based in Denver, Colorado. The 30-year-old has been recognized by the Boxing Writers Association of America three times for his accomplishments, with a best finish of 2nd at the 2022 awards ceremony.

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