IBF Featherweight Champion Angelo Leo (USA) will make his second title defense against top-ranked Ra’eese Aleem (USA). The bout is set for May 9th at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
Aleem (23-1, 12 KOs, 35 years old) earned a 3-0 unanimous decision victory over Mikito Nakano (Teiken) in an IBF featherweight title eliminator held in Japan last November. For Leo (26-1, 12 KOs, 31 years old), a potential defense against Lerato Dlamini (South Africa) in his home state of New Mexico had surfaced earlier this month but failed to materialize.
The promotional rights for Leo vs. Aleem went to a purse bid, which was won by Manny Pacquiao Promotions (MP) with a bid of $227,100 (approximately 36 million yen). The event will be a joint production between MP and Salita Promotions, headed by former fighter Dmitriy Salita, whose stable includes female star Claressa Shields (USA).
For Leo, who successfully completed his first defense with a 2-0 majority decision victory over Tomoki Kameda (TMK) in Osaka last May, this will mark his first time back in the ring in a year.
