Angelo Leo Wins; Bad Score Card Overshadows A Good Fight!
Former WBO super bantamweight champion Angelo “El Chinito” Leo (20-1, 9ko) and former title contender Aaron Alameda (25-1, 13ko) will locked horns in a high stake bout where the loser could see their career take a heavy hit.
Alameda fought former WBC bantamweight champion Luis “Pantera” Nery for the vacant WBC super bantamweight title back in September 2020. Alameda gave a good account of himself in the bout showing good defense, and was able to land a few straight right hands. However, he came up short that night but is currently ranked #9 by the WBC. A victory will keep him on the radar in the division.
Chinito being a former champion, is probably the hungriest of the two fighters since he has tasted championship glory. Leo also tasted defeat for the first time at the hands of current WBO champ Stephen Fulton back on January 23. Currently ranked #8 by the WBC, a victory would keep his hopes of getting another title shot alive.
IT IS A PHONE BOOTH FIGHT
Immediately both fighters decided to get in close and attack the body. Leo did a good job landing left and right hooks to the body by stepping to the side. However, Alameda scored with counter right hook and double uppercuts whenever Leo would go to the body.
This fight was beginning to turn into a test of will. Alameda was able to corner his opponent by landing hard counter right hooks. This before Leo picked it up by landing two beautiful straight right hand counters.
As the fight would continue, Leo started coming forward, throwing punches and shifting from side to side. He continuously landed the right hook to the mid-section and the left hook upstairs. Alameda would turn it up by landing the hard jab between Leo’s guard and continued finding a home for the double uppercut.
MAKING THE ADJUSTMENT
This was seriously a hard fight to score. Leo would switch to the southpaw stance having success landing the jab and left hooks to the body. Alameda also adjusted by using his footwork to cut off the ring, then landing the counter right hook from mid-range.
The former champion continued responding back after being hit by a hard punch with a three-punch combination while stepping to the side and landing more double hooks to the body. Alameda once again started landing the double right hooks from mid-range before catching his opponent with those uppercuts whenever they were in close.
Towards the end of the fight, both of Leo’s eyes were swollen from taking those hooks and uppercuts repeatedly. However, he continued to fight hard using his footwork by pivoting side to side, landing the right uppercut and double left hooks on his opponent. But the underdog fought back, landing more left uppercut counters and right hooks over the top of his opponents’ jab.
CONTROVERSY STRIKES
Both men continued to fight hard as the final bell sounded taking us to the judge’s scorecards. One judge scored it 95-95 a draw, the other two judges saw it 96-94, and 98-92 in favor of the former world champion Angelo Leo.
3kingsboxing.com scored it a draw. However, the last scorecard of 98-92 was atrocious! It was a close fight, but Leo being named the winner is not out of bounds. Regardless, scorecards like the aforementioned are the kinds that are hurting the sport!
By: Garrisson Bland
