.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus 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 resided in May 2019 as well as he has won 14 consecutive fights because, featuring outstanding success over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently declined a lucrative battle against fellow light-weight champ Gervonta "Container" Davis and also while he have not revealed his retirement life, will definitely we view "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will certainly make his second band look this year, yet certainly not versus the fighter followers have demanded. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo will experience Edgar Berlanga, that's never dealt with at this amount in his quick job. While Berlanga possesses extraordinary electrical power-- he began his occupation with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- may he find a means to succeed, or even a minimum of go the proximity versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua will certainly fight for a label for the first time in 2 years. Joshua will certainly experience IBF champ Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually preferred to end up being a three-time world champ (-550 per ESPN WAGER). And two-division champ Danny Garcia comes back to the band for simply the 2nd time in almost four years to tackle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that succeeded belts at 140 and also 147 pounds, is actually moving up in weight for the possibility to come to be a three-division champ, however may he distress a more mature yet still powerful Lara?Mike Coppinger as well as Chip Parkinson address these questions as well as even more, trying to differentiate what's true and what's not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to retire without an additional fightNot genuine ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually reflecting upon retirement, sources said to ESPN, aspect of the explanation he decreased a profitable battle with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually additionally a probability that Lomachenko are going to come back in the very first one-half of 2025 to shield his IBF light-weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a dealing with state of mind Saturday in Los Angeles: he and Shakur Stevenson had to be actually divided at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was actually found informing Stevenson, "Permit's go ideal now.If that's any type of sign, Lomachenko is going to deal with once again. Perhaps even versus Davis or Stevenson, both largest fights on the table for him. But if he certainly never shoelaces up the handwear covers again, Lomachenko's heritage is safeguarded. He's a three-division champion, a first-ballot Hall of Famer as well as a pillar of the pound-for-pound listing over the final 10 years.He also does not need to have to overcome for the cash. He is actually made millions of bucks in his occupation as well as still dwells in Ukraine, where he's one of the country's most preferred athletes. Regardless if he battles again, he definitely will not do this much longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and becomes a champ in a third divisionNot real. Garcia has actually outplayed the odds just before, consisting of an astonishing KO win over Amir Khan and a leading choice victory over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st win elevated him to the top tier of the sporting activity as well as the latter sealed that status.But the Matthysse battle was 11 years earlier, though, as well as those two signature Garcia victories were at 140 extra pounds (he additionally gained a title at 147 pounds and also moved up to 154 for a July 2022 gain Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still seeking a gain that matches that, as well as an upset victory over Lara will match the bill.Garcia really did not appear like the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, and also he hasn't contended considering that. Currently, he'll move up one more body weight training class (though the Lara match is actually occurring at a catchweight between 155 as well as 160 pounds) as well as need to emulate band stagnation. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline match against Lara will be actually Garcia's 2nd since December 2020, when he was actually transmitted by Errol Spence Jr.The decide on right here is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, even at 41, presents tremendous energy, albeit against competitors below Garcia's amount. Lara is riding a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's match against Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, shields his uncontested incredibly middleweight champion versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu through Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's top celebrity, hasn't racked up a KO success because he smoothed Caleb Plant in a Nov 2021 battle to win the indisputable super middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a knockdown in his last three fights. Against a competitor in Berlanga, that are going to be battling on the leading level for the very first time, Alvarez must include the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been actually injured in the band before, namely in a step-up battle against Marcelo Coceres, that dropped him in Cycle 9. And his self defense isn't specifically sound. Berlanga has electrical power (he started his job with 16 consecutive KO wins in the first round), and if he picks to trade with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez promised as a lot at a set of press conference recently to market the battle.-- Coppinger Real or not: Not one other lightweight champ may hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a true hazard to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round win in June and also defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a majority selection to win the WBO headline in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in three of the 4 shots, while his outbreak win along with Ramirez was among the most effective matches in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest planet featherweight champ in history-- would certainly be actually a challenge for Lopez. Chirinho flourished to get out of bed from an uppercut from Espinoza in Round 1, before he was actually soon overthrown. As a specialist, Chirinho had never ever been actually knocked down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza generated a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the last three arounds. Although he is actually not as professional as Lopez, the amount of strikes he has included his last two battles, together with his elevation as well as reach benefits, can show insurmountable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has appeared implausible in latest fights, while we still need to have to observe extra from Scar Ball before our team announce him the department's No. 1. Round (20-0-1, 11 KOs) grabbed the WBA featherweight title along with a split choice gain Raymond Ford in June. That triumph observed a questionable draw versus Vargas for the WBC headline in March. Yet Espinoza will overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was unsatisfying versus Ball and has actually certainly not succeeded in virtually pair of years, so it is actually difficult to show a disagreement for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in 8 arounds in a third protection of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has conquered huge obstacles in headline battles, like punching in a champion's home town and also acquiring slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he succeeds on Sunday against Angelo Leo, he may maybe encounter his greatest challenge but in a headline unification fight versus Espinoza to dental crown the most effective fighter in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' resurgence has actually been actually only a year after being actually stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, latest type advises his very first IBF heavyweight label self defense are going to end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) remains in top type, even more therefore than some other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has actually had to restore his profession, after experiencing back-to-back choice losses to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua battled very carefully, with a consensual decision gain Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his last 3 matches, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned coming from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF interim heavyweight champion after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Round 8. Usyk after that relinquished the IBF belt, which suggested Dubois was actually improved to full champion, and so presents Joshua with the possibility to end up being a three-time planet champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua will try to manipulate what Hrgovic had duplicated results along with versus Dubois. Hrgovic regularly landed right-hand men on Dubois in the very early rounds, and Joshua has actually received current battles just how detrimental his right hands are after he damaged Ngannou in Around 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the former UFC big-time champ's face to knock him out chilly. Joshua is going to confiscate the chance if Dubois creates himself in a similar way readily available, as he carried out against Hrgovic. Joshua is a greater puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois showed longevity to soak up punches in June, he has actually been stopped twice (by Joe Joyce in 2020 as well as Usyk in 2015) as well as was actually defeated 3 attend the preliminary by Kevin Lerena just before recouping to succeed in Round 3. However it is no walk in the park for Joshua, who additionally needs to have to value Dubois' energy. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's face as well as may likely manage a surprise halt against Joshua, just like Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. Yet Joshua, who concluded as champ coming from 2016 to 2019 and afterwards coming from 2019 to 2021, is more probable to gain this match through KO.-- Parkinson.