.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt against Angelo Leo generally occasion of a Top Ranking on ESPN memory card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final reduction was in May 2019 and also he has actually gained 14 consecutive matches due to the fact that, consisting of remarkable triumphes over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the most ideal featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently rejected a highly profitable fight versus fellow light-weight champ Gervonta "Tank" Davis and while he have not announced his retired life, will definitely our company view "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez are going to create his second band look this year, yet certainly not against the competitor supporters have clamored for. Instead of David Benavidez, Canelo is going to encounter Edgar Berlanga, that's never dealt with at this level in his quick career. While Berlanga possesses astonishing energy-- he started his job along with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can easily he find a technique to gain, or even a minimum of go the span against Alvarez?Former heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua will certainly defend a title for the first time in two years. Joshua is going to deal with IBF champ Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually favored to come to be a three-time world champ (-550 every ESPN WAGER). As well as two-division champ Danny Garcia goes back to the ring for only the 2nd attend just about 4 years to take on WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that won belts at 140 as well as 147 pounds, is moving up in weight for the odds to become a three-division champion, yet can easily he disturb a more mature however still strong Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Scar Parkinson address these inquiries and more, making an effort to identify what's genuine and also what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to retire without an additional fightNot true ... for now. Lomachenko is contemplating retired life, resources said to ESPN, component of the main reason he decreased a highly profitable fight along with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually additionally an option that Lomachenko are going to come back in the 1st one-half of 2025 to defend his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a dealing with state of mind Saturday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson had to be divided at ringside in the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was actually found telling Stevenson, "Let's go right now.If that is actually any kind of sign, Lomachenko is going to deal with again. Maybe even versus Davis or even Stevenson, the 2 greatest battles on the table for him. But if he never laces up the handwear covers once again, Lomachenko's tradition is actually gotten. He's a three-division champion, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and also a pillar of the pound-for-pound checklist over the final 10 years.He also does not require to fight for the money. He is actually gotten countless bucks in his occupation and still resides in Ukraine, where he's one of the country's very most prominent professional athletes. Whether he combats once more, he certainly won't do this much longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara and becomes a champion in a 3rd divisionNot real. Garcia has actually outplayed the chances just before, including a shocking KO get Amir Khan as well as a dominant decision victory over Lucas Matthysse. The initial win lifted him to the higher tier of the sporting activity and also the latter sealed that status.But the Matthysse match was actually 11 years back, however, and also those two trademark Garcia triumphes went to 140 pounds (he also won a label at 147 extra pounds and also went up to 154 for a July 2022 gain Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still seeking a win that matches that, and a distressed success over Lara will accommodate the bill.Garcia failed to appear like the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, and also he hasn't competed since. Now, he'll move up yet another weight course (though the Lara battle is actually taking place at a catchweight in between 155 and also 160 pounds) and also must emulate ring inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight title fight versus Lara will definitely be actually Garcia's 2nd since December 2020, when he was directed by Errol Spence Jr.The pick right here is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, presents significant energy, albeit against fighters beneath Garcia's degree. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's fight against Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, shields his recognized tremendously middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's top star, have not racked up a KO success given that he flattened Caleb Plant in a November 2021 fight to win the undeniable tremendously middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a presentation in his last three matches. Versus a competitor in Berlanga, that will certainly be fighting on the leading level for the first time, Alvarez needs to add the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been actually hurt in the ring in the past, specifically in a step-up battle versus Marcelo Coceres, that dropped him in Round 9. As well as his protection isn't exactly sound. Berlanga has electrical power (he started his job along with 16 consecutive KO gains in the preliminary), as well as if he picks to trade with Canelo, Alvarez ought to take him out.Alvarez vowed as much at a set of press conference recently to promote the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: No other lightweight champ can beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a true danger to Lopez after agonizing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June as well as defeating Robeisy Ramirez through a bulk decision to gain the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in three of the 4 rounds, while his outbreak win with Ramirez was just one of the best matches in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest world featherweight champion in record-- will be actually a challenge for Lopez. Chirinho did well to stand up from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Round 1, before he was actually soon overwhelmed. As a qualified, Chirinho had certainly never been actually knocked down just before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza created a surprise in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the final 3 spheres. Although he is not as skilled as Lopez, the volume of strikes he has thrown in his final two battles, together with his elevation and reach conveniences, could show insurmountable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually appeared unconvincing in latest battles, while our experts still require to observe more coming from Nick Ball just before we announce him the division's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight title along with a split choice win over Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment adhered to a questionable draw versus Vargas for the WBC headline in March. But Espinoza would certainly overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually disappointing versus Ball and has certainly not succeeded in virtually pair of years, so it is difficult to provide a disagreement for him in his existing form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after quiting Reiya Abe in eight arounds in a 3rd self defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has actually gotten over huge obstacles in title matches, like boxing in a champion's home town and receiving slice early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he succeeds on Sunday versus Angelo Leo, he may probably face his largest challenge however in a title marriage match against Espinoza to crown the most effective boxer in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will certainly KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' revival has actually been actually just a year after being dropped in Oleksandr Usyk, current type proposes his 1st IBF heavyweight title defense are going to end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in leading type, a lot more thus than every other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has actually had to reconstruct his job, after experiencing back-to-back selection losses to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua battled meticulously, along with a consensual decision draw Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his last three fights, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and also Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF interim big-time champ after he stopped Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk at that point gave up the IBF belt, which indicated Dubois was upgraded to total champion, therefore shows Joshua along with the option to come to be a three-time planet champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will definitely try to exploit what Hrgovic had duplicated effectiveness along with against Dubois. Hrgovic continually landed right-hand men on Dubois in the very early spheres, as well as Joshua has shown in current battles exactly how damaging his right hands desire he destroyed Ngannou in Around 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the previous UFC big-time champion's face to take him out cool. Joshua will definitely confiscate the option if Dubois produces himself in a similar way on call, as he did against Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a greater puncher than Hrgovic and also, although Dubois presented toughness to take in type June, he has been actually ceased two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk in 2015) as well as was floored three times in the preliminary through Kevin Lerena just before bouncing back to win in Cycle 3. Yet it is actually no walk in the park for Joshua, that also requires to respect Dubois' electrical power. Dubois made a mess of Hrgovic's face as well as can likely manage a surprise blockage against Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. However Joshua, who ruled as champion from 2016 to 2019 and after that from 2019 to 2021, is more likely to gain this battle by KO.-- Parkinson.