ANGELO Leo aims to establish himself as a genuine featherweight world champion when he travels to Osaka on Saturday, May 24, to defend his IBF strap against 33-year-old ‘El Mexicanito’ Tomoki Kameda.
Even though he may present as a solid contender-type, Leo is, in fact, a two-weight world champion. Respectfully, that is probably due to four-belt availability and Leo’s ability to grasp opportunities with both hands. In 2020, he stepped in against Tramaine Williams when Stephen Fulton could not box for the vacant WBO 122-pound title.
Leo outworked Williams (19-0) to become the champion and was outworked in turn by Fulton (18-0) once the Philadelphian recovered to take the opportunity. Rebuilding on the network of second chances, Pro Box TV, Leo’s new life at featherweight led to a 2024 crack at Luis Alberto Lopez.
The heavy-handed ‘Venado’ was doing his thing in a nip-and-tuck encounter, until Leo uncorked a left hook so vicious it took everyone by surprise, Lopez included. That sensational finish came nine months ago. Now he returns for a first defence, on away soil in Japan, versus an experienced contender.
It’s been a while since he was last relevant, but over 10 years ago, Kameda entered the ring as a 31-0 world-level operator against Jamie McDonnell. Despite dropping the resurgent Englishman, Kameda conceded a razor-thin decision for the WBA bantamweight title. Proving it was no fluke, McDonnell repeated the trick by wider margins, flooring the Japanese challenger en route to victory number two.
Kameda’s last brush with relevance came six years ago when he lost in California to WBC super-bantamweight champion Rey Vargas, 33-0 at the time. Kameda was competitive yet outgunned. That’s the story of his top-class efforts for the most part.
Leo, 25-1 (12 KOs), won the IBF title on home soil in Albuquerque and will now have to follow in the footsteps of ‘Venado’ Lopez and defend it on the road. This will surely be the last chance Kameda, 42-4 (23 KOs), has to win a world title. He lost two fights ago and required a split decision in the rematch to better South African puncher Lerato ‘Lights Out’ Dlamini. The form is naturally slipping as he ages.
Angelo Leo vs. Tomoki Kameda Fight Prediction
This defence is all about seeing where Leo is at regarding the best fighters at 126 pounds and whether he is here to stay as a belt holder or if his time as a world champion is once again destined to be fleeting. Boxing on away turf, facing a Japanese veteran who knows the sands of time are running low, Leo must create some distance and let it be known that he is a level above Kameda.
A decisive victory would open the door to a possible Fulton rematch, perhaps a unification with Nick Ball or, realistically, Rafael Espinoza, who is bludgeoning everyone in front of him.
BN Online expects Leo to fight through some hairy moments and consolidate his spot at world level with a unanimous points win across 12 rounds of constant inspection of his credentials by Kameda.
Angelo Leo vs. Tomoki Kameda Undercard
There’s not much to get excited about on the undercard besides a rematch between IBF minimumweight king Pedro Taduran and the man he took that title from, Ginjiro Shigeoka.
In a super-flyweight battle of unbeatens, Filipino Vencent ‘The Venum’ Lacar (9-0) takes on 24-year-old local hope Ryo Mandokoro (5-0) over eight rounds.
