By: Sean Crose
The undefeated Angelo Leo defended his WBO super bantamweight title against the likewise undefeated Stephen Fulton in a scheduled 12 round affair broadcast live by Showtime from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut on Saturday. Leo, 20-0, and Fulton, 18-0, both came out aggressively in the first. It was an exciting opening chapter. The two men continued to exchange heavy leather in the second.
Leo came forward in the third while Fulton applied his jab. The Philadelphia native continued to effectively employ his jab in the fourth. Yet Leo was able to rock his man in the final thirty seconds of the round. The fifth was a high energy and rugged affair as both men threw away. The fight was in close in the sixth with both men firing away like professional fighters rather than brawlers. It was an excellent affair.
Things remained on the inside throughout the seventh. Both men landed and landed hard, though Fulton may have been the stronger of the two. The fight slowed down a bit in the eighth, but the action was still exciting and on the inside. Fulton took to holding effectively in the ninth as Leo continued to push the action. As the fight raced along through the tenth, Fulton was able to hold off Leo enough to have an edge.
Fulton then began wisely keeping his distance in the eleventh, as he may well have had an edge on the cards. In between rounds, Leo’s corner told him he had to go for the knockout. He wasn’t able to get it – but not for lack of trying. Ultimately, the judge’s nod went to Fulton by scores of 118-110, 119-109, and 118-109.
This was high quality boxing.