In a stunning turn of events within a 575-mile radius of the southwestern U.S., boxing fans were treated to a night of electrifying action as Angelo Leo and Vergil Ortiz Jr. emerged victorious, setting the stage for potential Knockout of the Year and Fight of the Year accolades.
On Monday’s episode of Pro Box TV’s “Top Stories,” former champions Chris Algieri, Paulie Malignaggi, and Timothy Bradley Jr. reflected on the thrilling bouts and what lies ahead. With Japan’s four-division champion and pound-for-pound superstar Naoya Inoue eyeing a move to the featherweight division in 2025, Malignaggi praised Leo’s impeccable timing. In the 10th round, Leo delivered a jaw-dropping left hook that sent reigning champion Luis Alberto Lopez crashing to the canvas, securing a shocking knockout victory.
“Anytime you achieve a monumental win like that, especially a knockout, it puts you in the Inoue conversation,” Malignaggi remarked. “Leo is now a prime contender, especially with his current form.” By claiming the IBF featherweight title in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Leo (25-1, 12 KOs) demonstrated his technical prowess, as noted by Bradley.
“The way he set up that punch was pure brilliance—he anticipated Lopez’s hand dropping and capitalized perfectly,” Bradley explained. “That’s a mistake many fighters make today. It was a beautifully placed shot.” Meanwhile, Ortiz faced an unexpected challenge, as he failed to deliver the knockout blow that had defined his previous 21 fights. Despite being knocked down twice, he rallied back to secure a majority decision victory over Ukraine’s Serhii Bohachuk in Las Vegas. “What a thrilling fight! Both fighters were hungry and determined in a stacked division,” Algieri said, commending Ortiz for showcasing new strengths in the later rounds. “I saw Vergil edging out a close fight with significant implications, but Bohachuk proved he’s a serious contender too. He displayed his class.” Malignaggi was captivated by the action. “What a fight! Explosive combinations that exceeded our expectations.
Ortiz went down twice, and Bohachuk showed off his incredible power and resilience. I can’t wait to see a rematch!” Bradley is advocating strongly for an immediate rematch, asserting, “Bohachuk did enough to win. The two knockdowns in the first and eighth rounds, plus his performance in between, clearly showed he deserved the decision.”
However, the path to a rematch may be complicated, especially with Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh expressing interest in having Ortiz fight newly crowned four-division champion Terence Crawford next. Malignaggi took Alalshikh to task for discussing that potential matchup before Ortiz and Bohachuk even stepped into the ring. “With all due respect, you can’t treat these fights like tune-ups. Alalshikh should know better, especially after seeing upsets happen in boxing,” he stated. “The focus on Ortiz-Crawford is misguided given how competitive Ortiz-Bohachuk was. Bohachuk-Ortiz 2 is the fight to make,” he insisted.
Bradley echoed this sentiment, believing a rematch is essential. “There’s unfinished business here—Bohachuk got robbed,” he said. However, if Saudi funds are backing a Crawford-Ortiz showdown, it might boil down to financial incentives. “Fighters will follow the money, and right now, it’s too enticing to ignore,” Bradley remarked. Ortiz’s trainer, Robert Garcia, hinted that his fighter could return in February, coinciding with Alalshikh’s plans for another Riyadh Season card in Saudi Arabia.
