This morning we witnessed the IBF featherweight title defense held in Osaka, Japan, between Angelo Leo, known as “El Chinito”, and local favorite Tomoki Kameda, “El Mexicanito”.
Leo came into the fight with just one loss on his record, against Fulton. Kameda is the more experienced fighter, with more knockouts to his name — meaning he has heavy, explosive power — while the American relies on his very fast hands.
At the end of the fight, we had a clear winner: Angelo Leo retained his belt, confirming himself as champion against a lackluster Kameda. The judges’ scores read: 114–114, 116–112, 115–113, resulting in a majority decision.
The fight began with a controlled pace and a cautious feeling-out phase. Both fighters displayed excellent jabs, with Leo also throwing a few left hands to the body. The first round hinted at a balanced and tactical match.
In round two, Leo again went to the body, while Kameda kept pressing forward with his jab. In round three, the fighters began trading punches, and Leo landed some nasty uppercuts.
Kameda tried to be more aggressive in round four, but Leo looked perfectly prepared for the bout — always ready, always responsive, and very mobile.
In the fifth, the two exchanged at center ring. Kameda kept pressing, but Leo controlled the action with his jab and fast body shots. Round six followed the same pattern, with Kameda unable to counter Leo’s tactical plan.
It wasn’t until round seven that we saw a noticeably more aggressive Kameda. He timed his attacks better, but Leo responded with pinpoint uppercuts.
Both fighters showed excellent physical preparation, but the champion remained the more effective boxer in round eight, taking back the center of the ring and landing quick combinations. Kameda stayed focused and solid, but it was clear that Leo was the superior fighter so far.
Kameda had a strong ninth round, pressing the action and forcing Leo into exchanges at center ring. Leo held his own and landed some good shots, but he was visibly tiring and needed to stay sharp through the final rounds.
Round ten continued in the same vein, with Kameda showing more grit than in the earlier rounds.
In round eleven, the action returned to the center of the ring. Leo regained his focus, landing sharp combinations and using his jab to keep the Japanese fighter at bay. He even closed the twelfth and final round on the offensive, as if to prove why he’s the champion and that he can defend his belt on the road — even against a seasoned fighter like Kameda.
The fight went the distance, and Leo put on a smart and tactical performance — a real masterclass, full of exchanges but never out of control. Angelo Leo remains the IBF featherweight champion.
Kameda had stated beforehand that he wouldn’t retire regardless of the outcome. But what’s next for Leo? Rising star Nick Ball from England could be an option, a rematch with Fulton would be intriguing, but keep an eye on Inoue — maybe fighting in Japan has caught his attention.