.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo generally event of a Best Ranking on ESPN 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 as well as he has actually gained 14 consecutive battles since, featuring outstanding success over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the most ideal featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently denied a profitable match against fellow light in weight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis and also while he hasn't revealed his retired life, are going to our company observe "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will create his 2nd ring appeal this year, yet not against the boxer fans have clamored for. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely face Edgar Berlanga, that's certainly never fought at this level in his brief occupation. While Berlanga has extraordinary energy-- he started his career with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- may he locate a method to win, or even at the very least go the proximity against Alvarez?Former abundant champ Anthony Joshua will defend a headline for the very first time in 2 years. Joshua will encounter IBF champ Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is actually preferred to come to be a three-time world champion (-550 per ESPN BET). And two-division champ Danny Garcia returns to the band for simply the second time in almost four years to tackle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that succeeded belts at 140 and 147 pounds, is going up in body weight for the odds to end up being a three-division champ, yet may he distress a much older however still powerful Lara?Mike Coppinger and Chip Parkinson respond to these inquiries and also even more, trying to identify what's true and also what is actually not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will definitely retire without another fightNot genuine ... for now. Lomachenko is actually reflecting upon retired life, sources said to ESPN, aspect of the cause he declined a lucrative battle with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually additionally a possibility that Lomachenko will certainly come back in the very first fifty percent of 2025 to defend his IBF light-weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a fighting state of mind Saturday in Los Angeles: he and Shakur Stevenson must be actually split at ringside during the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was seen informing Stevenson, "Permit's go appropriate now.If that is actually any kind of indication, Lomachenko is going to combat again. Maybe even versus Davis or even Stevenson, the two greatest battles on the table for him. Yet if he never ever shoelaces up the gloves again, Lomachenko's tradition is actually safeguarded. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer as well as a mainstay of the pound-for-pound list over the final 10 years.He likewise does not need to have to fight for the cash. He's made numerous dollars in his profession as well as still resides in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's very most well-known professional athletes. Regardless if he deals with once more, he definitely will not accomplish this a lot longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara and comes to be a champ in a 3rd divisionNot real. Garcia has actually upset the possibilities prior to, including a shocking KO gain Amir Khan and also a dominant decision victory over Lucas Matthysse. The initial win elevated him to the upper echelon of the sport and also the last cemented that status.But the Matthysse match was 11 years earlier, though, and also those 2 signature Garcia triumphes were at 140 extra pounds (he additionally won a title at 147 pounds and moved up to 154 for a July 2022 get Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still searching for a gain that matches that, and a dismayed victory over Lara will suit the bill.Garcia failed to resemble the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision victory over Benavidez, and he have not completed given that. Currently, he'll go up one more weight course (though the Lara battle is happening at a catchweight between 155 and 160 pounds) and must contend with ring lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline fight versus Lara will be Garcia's 2nd given that December 2020, when he was transmitted through Errol Spence Jr.The select here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, presents enormous power, albeit against boxers beneath Garcia's amount. Lara is riding a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's match versus Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, protects his indisputable extremely middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu through Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's top celebrity, hasn't racked up a KO victory considering that he squashed Caleb Vegetation in a November 2021 match to succeed the unquestioned super middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has racked up a knockdown in his final 3 matches. Against a competitor in Berlanga, who are going to be actually combating on the top level for the first time, Alvarez should add the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been hurt in the band previously, specifically in a step-up battle against Marcelo Coceres, who lost him in Round 9. As well as his protection isn't precisely appear. Berlanga possesses electrical power (he began his profession along with 16 consecutive KO succeeds in the preliminary), as well as if he picks to trade with Canelo, Alvarez should take him out.Alvarez vowed as much at a pair of news conferences recently to ensure the battle.-- Coppinger Real or not: Nothing else featherweight champ can easily hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a real risk to Lopez after agonizing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June and also defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a large number decision to win the WBO headline in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in 3 of the 4 rounds, while his outbreak win along with Ramirez was one of the best fights in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest globe lightweight champion in past history-- would be a difficulty for Lopez. Chirinho flourished to get out of bed coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Sphere 1, before he was actually quickly subdued. As a specialist, Chirinho had actually certainly never been torn down just before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza created a surprise in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the final 3 spheres. Although he is actually certainly not as seasoned as Lopez, the volume of hits he has actually thrown in his last two matches, alongside his height and reach benefits, might prove impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked unconvincing in recent fights, while we still require to view a lot more coming from Nick Ball just before our team declare him the division's No. 1. Sphere (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight headline with a split selection draw Raymond Ford in June. That triumph adhered to a questionable draw versus Vargas for the WBC headline in March. However Espinoza would certainly tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was unsatisfactory versus Ball and also has certainly not succeeded in virtually 2 years, so it is hard to provide a disagreement for him in his existing form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the current ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a third self defense of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has eliminated major difficulties in headline fights, like boxing in a champion's home town and receiving slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and also if he gains on Sunday against Angelo Leo, he may maybe face his greatest difficulty however in a headline unification battle versus Espinoza to crown the very best fighter in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel DuboisReal. Comparable to Dubois' rebirth has been actually simply a year after being visited Oleksandr Usyk, latest kind suggests his initial IBF heavyweight title self defense will definitely end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) remains in best kind, a lot more so than some other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has actually must fix his job, after enduring back-to-back decision reductions to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua dealt with meticulously, along with a consensual selection get Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his final 3 matches, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and also Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting big-time champion after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk after that relinquished the IBF waistband, which implied Dubois was upgraded to total champion, consequently shows Joshua along with the chance to become a three-time globe champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will definitely make an effort to exploit what Hrgovic had redoed effectiveness with versus Dubois. Hrgovic frequently landed right hands on Dubois in the early arounds, as well as Joshua has actually received latest matches just how detrimental his right-hand men seek he damaged Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the former UFC big-time champion's jaw to knock him out cool. Joshua will definitely take the option if Dubois creates themself likewise on call, as he performed versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a greater puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois revealed longevity to soak up type June, he has been ceased two times (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk last year) as well as was actually knocked down three attend the preliminary through Kevin Lerena before recuperating to succeed in Cycle 3. However it is actually no stroll in the playground for Joshua, who additionally needs to have to recognize Dubois' energy. Dubois ruined Hrgovic's skin and also can likely manage a surprise interruption versus Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. did in 2019. Yet Joshua, who concluded as champ from 2016 to 2019 and then coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually most likely to succeed this battle through KO.-- Parkinson.