Leo, Borg take victories

Jun. 20—In Houston, Albuquerque native Angelo Leo defeated Mexico's Aaron Alameda on Saturday by majority decision in a 10-round super bantamweight bout on a pro boxing card telecast nationally on Showtime. Leo is 21-1 (nine knockouts). Alameda is 25-2 (13 KOs).

One judge scored the bout even at 95-95. Two judges gave Leo the nod, 96-94 on one card, 98-92 on the other.

The decision was unpopular with the fans at Houston's Toyota Center, but an unofficial poll of Showtime viewers favored Leo, 65%-35%. Showtime scorer Steve Farhood had it 96-94 for Leo.

Leo, sporting a mouse under each eye, told Showtime's Jim Gray afterward he wasn't surprised the decision went his way.

"I knew it was a close fight ... but I wasn't surprised," he said. "I think I just landed more blows. I was the busier fighter."

Showtime's punch stats actually showed Alameda throwing more punches, 693 to 614, but saw Leo landing more, 211 to 191.

In January, Leo lost the WBO title he'd won the previous August with a defeat via unanimous decision against Philadelphia's Stephen Fulton. In interviews leading up to the Alameda fight, Leo said he felt he'd been too aggressive too early against Fulton.

Though Leo remained his aggressive self against Alameda, he showed more movement of head and foot than he had against Fulton — often pivoting to create angles, then landing to the head and body. Leo had a decided advantage in body shots, 65-35, according to the Showtime stats.

"I was just able to move a little bit more," he said, "change it up a little bit."

Alameda, for his part, consistently landed right uppercuts and right hooks, creating the damage to Leo's face that apparently convinced the Toyota Center crowd that the Mexican southpaw deserved the decision.

Leo lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, but his corner on Saturday was all Albuquerque: Leo's father, Miguel; longtime Albuquerque trainer Luis Chavez, and Chavez's son Rudy, a former professional boxer.

MMA: In Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Albuquerque bantamweight Ray Borg defeated Canada's Jesse Arnett by unanimous decision. Borg is 14-5. Arnett is 18-7.

"It wasn't pretty but we got it done," Borg posted on Instagram. It was his first fight since May 2020 and his first victory since the previous February, when he defeated Rogerio Bonterin on a UFC card at the Rio Rancho Event Center. Borg was released by the UFC last August after having withdrawn from two consecutive scheduled fights.

Saturday's fight was the main event of a card promoted by UAE Warriors.

"I'm back!" He he wrote on Instagram. Abu Dhabi it was real but Burque I'm coming home!"