Ángel Acosta: WBO Light-Flyweight Title and Three Defenses
Puerto Rican boxer Ángel “Tito” Acosta won the vacant WBO light-flyweight title in December 2017. He made three successful defenses before Elwin Soto stopped him in the 12th round in June 2019.
From first challenge to WBO champion
Acosta turned professional in November 2012 and built his early record through stoppage victories. His first world title challenge came against Japan’s Kosei Tanaka in May 2017, when he lost a unanimous decision over twelve rounds.
He received another opportunity after the championship became vacant. On December 2, 2017, Acosta stopped Juan Alejo in the tenth round in New York, winning the WBO belt at 108 pounds.
Three defenses and a late title loss
The first defense ended with a twelfth-round TKO against Carlos Buitrago in June 2018. Acosta then knocked out Abraham Rodriguez in the second round that October. A stoppage of Ganigan López in March 2019 completed his three successful defenses.
Soto ended the reign at Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino in Indio, California. The official result was a TKO at 23 seconds of round twelve, making the final scheduled round decisive. Acosta disagreed with the stoppage afterward, but the recorded outcome transferred the championship to Soto.
The footage above features that title-ending contest. It belongs at the close of this particular championship sequence: an unsuccessful first challenge, a vacant-title victory, three defenses and then the loss to Soto.
Sources
Tags
Boxing, Boxing History
