Angelo Leo took the vacant WBO-Super Bantamweight title with a unanimous points win against Tramaine Williams, as Showtime returned in Connecticut on Saturday.
The entire card, held behind closed doors at the Mohegan Sun Resort had been thrown into doubt in midweek, as number one contender Stephen Fulton Jr, who was originally due to meet number two ranked Leo tested positive for Coronavirus, forcing an immediate withdrawal.
This left ’The Mighty Midget’ to step in and he was elevated from his fight which was meant to be an eliminator for the same WBO belt against Raeese Aleem to face Leo instead.
Floyd Mayweather-promoted Leo (20-0, 9 KOs) picked up the crown vacated by Emmanuel Navarrete by making the necessary adjustments to overcome Williams on the night.
Williams (19-1, 6 KOs) began brightly and displayed smart boxing skills from distance to arguably take both of the first two rounds.
From then on though, Leo began to make the adjustments to close the gap and from the third onwards, the 26-year-old turned the fight into a close-quarters affair, punching relentlessly to Williams’ body, as he banked round after round.
‘El Chinito’ had made the contest a phone booth type fight and took Williams out of his comfort zone to pull away down the stretch as the bout went to the cards.
Scores of 118-110 twice and a third verdict of 117-111 proclaimed Albuquerque-native, Leo the new champion. Thoughts now turn to a meeting down the line with Fulton.
“Just be ready,” Leo said to Fulton on Showtime post-fight.
“Just be ready, we are going to make it a war. He said he’s going to bring it and I’m going to bring it too.
“The fans want it, so why not bring it on?.”
Fulton was also brought in on the telecast for comment, and said: “I’m ready for whatever, but just be ready for me when it’s time, that’s all I have to say.”
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Wasiru Mohammed also says he wants to taste the WBO title which was held by Isaac Dogboe, and he was knocked out by Navarrette.
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