IBF Featherweight Title Fight Cancelled and Other Boxing News

May 9, 2026, 06:04

Introduction

The planned IBF featherweight championship fight between Angelo Leo and Ra’eese Aleem was cancelled because the challenger did not meet the required weight.

Main Body

The fight was called off after Ra’eese Aleem failed to reach the 126-pound limit during Friday's weigh-in. Even after a second attempt, Aleem weighed 128 pounds, which is two pounds over the limit. As a result, the event in College Park, Georgia, continued without the title fight, although the other matches on the card still took place. The main event was changed to a light heavyweight fight between Atif Oberlton and Carlos Gongora. Regarding the financial side, Angelo Leo kept his championship title and will receive his agreed payment of $147,000. His co-trainer, Luis Chavez, stated that Leo refused to fight Aleem in a non-title match since the opponent was overweight. Leo's next fight is not yet certain; while a match against Lerato Diamini has been suggested, the IBF might name Omar Trinidad as the next mandatory challenger. However, Trinidad is already scheduled to fight Jarwin Ancajas on June 28. Other possible unification fights involving champions like Bruce Carrington or Rafael Espinoza remain difficult due to official rules. In other news, Abraham Perez's expected fight for Anthony Olascagua's WBO 112-pound title was cancelled. Aaron Perez explained that Olascagua's promotional team, All-Star Boxing, rejected the contract. Consequently, Abraham Perez was removed from the July 31 event, and his team is now looking for a different fight in July.

Conclusion

Angelo Leo remains the IBF featherweight champion, while Ra’eese Aleem and Abraham Perez have faced setbacks due to weight issues and contract rejections.

Learning

⚡ The Power of "Cause & Effect" Connectors

To move from A2 to B2, you must stop using 'because' for everything. In the text, we see how professional writers link events to show logical consequences. This is the secret to sounding more fluid and academic.

🔍 The Shift: From Simple to Sophisticated

A2 Level (Basic): "The fight was cancelled because the boxer was too heavy." B2 Level (Advanced): "The challenger did not meet the weight limit; as a result, the event continued without the title fight."

What changed? We moved the reason to the first sentence and used a transition phrase (as a result) to start the next one. This creates a 'bridge' between ideas rather than just a simple explanation.

🛠️ Your New Toolset

Based on the article, here are three ways to explain why something happened without repeating 'because':

"As a result..." $\rightarrow$ Used when one event leads directly to another.
- Example: Aleem weighed 128 pounds; as a result, he couldn't fight.
"Consequently..." $\rightarrow$ A formal version of 'so'. Great for professional reports.
- Example: The team rejected the contract. Consequently, Abraham Perez was removed from the event.
"Due to..." $\rightarrow$ Use this before a noun (not a full sentence) to show the cause.
- Example: Fights were cancelled due to weight issues.

💡 Pro Tip for Fluency

If you want to sound B2, try this formula: [Action/Problem] $\rightarrow$ [Punctuation/Pause] $\rightarrow$ [Connector] $\rightarrow$ [The Consequence].

Instead of: "I was late because there was traffic." Try: "There was heavy traffic this morning; consequently, I missed the start of the meeting."

Vocabulary Learning

cancel (v.)

to stop or call off an event or activity

Example:The fight was cancelled because the challenger did not make weight.

challenger (n.)

a person who competes against a champion in a sport or contest

Example:The challenger failed to reach the required weight limit.

weigh‑in (n.)

the act of measuring a boxer's weight before a fight

Example:The weigh‑in took place on Friday before the scheduled bout.

limit (n.)

the maximum or boundary that cannot be exceeded

Example:He was two pounds over the weight limit.

over (prep.)

exceeding a specified amount or boundary

Example:He weighed 128 pounds, which was two pounds over the limit.

card (n.)

the list of matches scheduled for an event

Example:The card still included other matches despite the main fight being cancelled.

mandatory (adj.)

required by rules or regulations

Example:The IBF might name Omar Trinidad as the next mandatory challenger.

unification (n.)

a fight that merges titles from different boxing organizations

Example:Unification fights are difficult due to official rules.

promotional (adj.)

relating to advertising or marketing a sports event

Example:The promotional team rejected the contract for the fight.

setbacks (n.)

difficulties or obstacles that hinder progress

Example:They faced setbacks due to weight issues and contract rejections.