A Top Rank-promoted show takes place at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico this Saturday, and in the bill topper, Luis Alberto Lopez puts his IBF featherweight title on the line against Angelo Leo.
Sky Sports televise Lopez vs Leo live in the UK, and ESPN host in the USA.
Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) has grown into a dominant champion, after building himself as the ‘B-side’ in wins against Andy Vences (SD10), Gabriel Flores Jr (UD10) and Isaac Lowe (KO7).
The Mexican eventually got a shot at the IBF belt in December 2022, and grabbed his chance, taking a majority decision win in Leeds against Josh Warrington.
The 30-year-old then ruthlessly defended in five rounds in Belfast against Michael Conlan, and after widely outscoring Joet Gonzalez in September last year, ‘El Venado’ was last seen in March, stopping Reiya Abe in eight.
Next up is Las Vegas-based Leo (24-1, 11 KOs), a former world champion at super bantamweight, but he only briefly reigned, losing handily on the cards in the first defence of his WBO crown in January 2021 against Stephen Fulton.
He has won four times since, and claimed the WBA Continental North American featherweight bauble by knocking Mike Plania out in three in January, and he defended in April, going ten rounds with Eduardo Baez.
The unorthodox angles of Luis Alberto Lopez! 🔥 😮💨#LopezGonzalez | Saturday, 1am | 🎥 @trboxing pic.twitter.com/9JyRrhQs8K
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) September 12, 2023
Three ten rounders head the undercard.
Lindolfo Delgado (20-0, 15 KOs) hopes to move closer to a world title shot in 2024, and the Mexican super lightweight takes on his countryman Bryan Flores (26-0-1, 15 KOs).
Delgado went ten rounds for the first time last August, and he was last out in March, where he overcame a deficit on the scorecards to knock Carlos Sanchez out in seven rounds.
Flores has an early career draw on the slate, but has won 22 straight since, the last a fourth round stoppage of Jorge Abel Bermudez in March.
Prediction: Delgado should be tested in this one, but he can come out on top in a competitive win on the cards.
Recent Top Rank acquisition Vito Mielnicki Jr (18-1, 12 KOs) is on a run of ten straight wins, and the super welterweight should have too much for Laszlo Toth (32-8-2, 20 KOs), who is vastly experienced, but on the decline. Mielnicki can win inside the distance.
JERSEY’S OWN.
Welcome to #TopRank, @VitoMielnickiJr 💥 pic.twitter.com/lQJzNDp4q8
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) June 6, 2024
Arnold Khegai (21-1-1, 13 KOs) also sees action, and the Ukrainian featherweight should take a points win in his meeting with Belmar Preciado (22-7-1, 15 KOs).
In six round attractions, featherweight prospect Albert Gonzalez (9-0, 5 KOs) should take a clear win on the scorecards against Damian Alcala (8-4, 2 KOs), and Steven Navarro (2-0, 1 KO) should win early at super flyweight against Israel Camacho (2-11, 0 KOs).
