By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)

Angelo Leo ended his fight with the then champion Luis Alberto Lopez with one of the most devastating knockouts I have seen in a while. In what was a close fight going into the final two rounds, Leo landed a beautiful picture-perfect left hook just as they would teach, and Lopez landed on his back and head bounded off the canvas.  This was action packed fight, with Lopez coming into the fight as one of the best in the featherweights with 13 fight winning streak including three successful title fights with his last fight an eighth round TKO win over Reiya Abe past March. 

Leo landed the cleaner punches as he pushed the issue with the champion but going into the eleventh round as Lopez was ahead on one cared 86-85 and the other judges had it 86-85 for Leo.

Lopez best punches were his uppercuts and added loaded up shots with his easily.  Leo last loss was to Steven Fulton in a 122-pound title but since then won five fights and did have a vacant 122-pound title. Now he has a 126 pound. 

Vergil Ortiz survived two knockdowns against Serhii  Bohachuk and found a way to score a majority decision.  He hit the canvas in round one and round eight.

There were 1500 punches thrown between the two and it was an action fight from the opening bell to the final bell.   Bohachuk landed an over hand right in round one and originally it was called a slip but later it was reversed, something that rarely happens in boxing.  Bohachuk landed a left hook to send Ortiz down, but Ortiz rocked him twice in the final round including twelve rounds.  According to the judges Ortiz won the last three rounds and four rounds on two of the judges to pull out scores 114-112, 114-112 and 113-113. 

Bohachuk felt after the fight, “”People [who] saw this fight today and who understand boxing know what happened today, I’m feeling great, I make two knockdowns. Come on, guys.”  Both men were power boxers.  Ortiz landed body shots along with left hooks and those vicious upper cuts.   Bohachuk used his jab to set up his power shots.

This bout has title implication as Ortzi picked p an WBC interim title which means what I don’t know since Fundora is the WBC champion. Terrance Crawford is the WBO interim champion and yes Fundora is the WBO champion. So, this means Crawford is in line to fight Fundora and then Ortiz would be in line to fight Fundora.  Meanwhile Bohachck is in line to eventually fight who ends up wining these two fights.