“It feels good. It still hasn’t sunk in yet, it just feels surreal,” said Leo. “The first few rounds I was just feeling him out, getting his timing, getting the feel of him. I felt him kind of loosening up and breaking down, and that’s when I started putting the pressure on him a little more.

“That was the key factor in this fight, the bodywork and the pressure. I’m pretty sure Albuquerque is celebrating tonight. I think they have four world champions, because you can’t exclude Holly Holm. You have Johnny [Tapia], Danny [Romero], Holly and now me. There’s four champions in that city and I think I’ve made history there.

“At first, the first couple hours after the opponent change I was a little disappointed. But then I was like, ‘Hey this is what I came here to do.’ I came here to win a world title and that’s exactly what I did. When I set my mind to it, I do it.”