ANGELO Leo produced a measured display to retain his IBF world featherweight title with a majority decision victory over Tomoki Kameda.
The pair squared off in a tactical yet absorbing encounter earlier today, headlining a card in Osaka, Japan, that was streamed live on the ProBox TV app.
Thankfully, their razor-thin contest was aptly reflected by the judges, as despite a 114-114 conclusion, two scorecards of 115-113 and 116-112 nonetheless swung the result in Leo’s favour.
Despite having campaigned as low as bantamweight, Japanese contender Kameda, 42-5 (23 KOs), was by far the more physically imposing operator, putting his spindly but sturdy frame to great use.
The in-and-out movement of Leo, 26-1 (12 KOs), however, was what ultimately saw him emerge victorious and, in turn, present a case for himself as the top dog at 126lbs.
Elsewhere in his division, fellow champions Rafael Espinoza, Nick Ball and Stephen Fulton would most likely dispute that claim, though all of whom are yet to cement themselves as the bona fide king.
Nevertheless, some will now consider Leo – who previously dethroned Luis Alberto Lopez with a stunning 10th-round finish – as perhaps the number-one featherweight titlist.
During their early exchanges, the 31-year-old was visibly respectful of Kameda’s power, never allowing himself to get sucked into a phone booth-style brawl.
Instead, the champion utilised his superior technical prowess, boxing with a fluid tempo while carefully selecting the right moments to enter the pocket.
At the same time, Kameda continued to march forward and, whenever the pair opted to trade body shots, was able to slip several thudding hooks into his opponent’s midsection.
Yet still, Leo maintained his poker face and focused on pivoting around the 33-year-old, clearly displaying the sharper and more calculated footwork.
But as their dustup progressed into the middle rounds, neither fighter had taken the contest by the scruff of the neck. Regardless, the tactical battle made for an intriguing watch.
A more prolific jab down the stretch, however, saw Leo establish a degree of control and, in doing so, claim a fiercely contested points victory.
Shortly after getting his hand raised, the American then hailed his opponent’s strength and power, insisting that both physical attributes exceeded his expectations from their previous sparring sessions.
Regarding his next outing, meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether he will enter a unification with one of the remaining featherweight champions.
