.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo generally event 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 last loss remained in May 2019 as well as he has gained 14 consecutive matches given that, featuring exceptional triumphes over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the very best featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently rejected a highly profitable match versus fellow light-weight champ Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis and also while he hasn't revealed his retired life, will certainly we observe "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will create his 2nd band look this year, yet certainly not versus the competitor enthusiasts have demanded. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely deal with Edgar Berlanga, that's never battled at this amount in his short profession. While Berlanga has unbelievable electrical power-- he began his profession along with 16 successive first-round KOs-- may he discover a way to succeed, or even a minimum of go the span against Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua will definitely fight for a label for the very first time in 2 years. Joshua is going to face IBF champ Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is actually favored to come to be a three-time planet champion (-550 every ESPN WAGER). As well as two-division champ Danny Garcia comes back to the band for only the second attend virtually 4 years to take on WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who gained waistbands at 140 and 147 extra pounds, is actually moving up in body weight for the chance to come to be a three-division champion, but can easily he disturb a more mature yet still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and Scar Parkinson respond to these inquiries and additional, making an effort to identify what's real as well as what's not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko will certainly retire without another fightNot real ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is reflecting upon retirement, sources told ESPN, part of the factor he declined a profitable battle with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There's likewise a possibility that Lomachenko are going to come back in the very first one-half of 2025 to safeguard his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a battling state of mind Saturday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson needed to be actually divided at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was actually observed telling Stevenson, "Let's go best now.If that is actually any sort of evidence, Lomachenko is going to deal with again. Maybe even versus Davis or Stevenson, the 2 greatest matches on the table for him. But if he never ever laces up the gloves once again, Lomachenko's tradition is actually secured. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a mainstay of the pound-for-pound listing over the final 10 years.He additionally doesn't require to eliminate for the money. He's gotten countless dollars in his occupation and still lives in Ukraine, where he is among the nation's most popular professional athletes. Whether he combats once more, he undoubtedly will not do so much longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara and comes to be a champion in a third divisionNot actual. Garcia has actually outplayed the possibilities just before, featuring a surprising KO win over Amir Khan and a prevalent selection triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The very first gain elevated him to the higher tier of the sporting activity as well as the last sealed that status.But the Matthysse battle was 11 years back, however, and also those 2 trademark Garcia victories were at 140 extra pounds (he also succeeded a label at 147 pounds as well as moved up to 154 for a July 2022 win over Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still seeking a gain that matches that, and a dismayed triumph over Lara would certainly match the bill.Garcia failed to be similar to the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision victory over Benavidez, and he hasn't completed because. Currently, he'll go up another body weight class (though the Lara match is occurring at a catchweight in between 155 and also 160 pounds) and must contend with ring inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight label fight versus Lara will certainly be actually Garcia's 2nd since December 2020, when he was transmitted through Errol Spence Jr.The decide on right here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, also at 41, shows tremendous power, albeit versus fighters below Garcia's degree. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's battle versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, safeguards his undeniable very middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's leading celebrity, hasn't scored a KO triumph since he smoothed Caleb Vegetation in a Nov 2021 battle to gain the recognized extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has racked up a presentation in his final 3 fights. Versus a boxer in Berlanga, who will certainly be actually battling on the leading level for the first time, Alvarez must add the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been actually harmed in the ring before, particularly in a step-up battle against Marcelo Coceres, who fell him in Round 9. And his protection isn't exactly seem. Berlanga possesses electrical power (he started his profession along with 16 successive KO wins in the first round), and also if he opts for to swap with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez promised as a lot at a pair of press conference this week to ensure the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: Not one other light champion may hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a genuine risk to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June as well as beating Robeisy Ramirez through a large number selection to succeed the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in three of the 4 rounds, while his outbreak win with Ramirez was one of the most effective fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest world light champion in past-- will be actually a problem for Lopez. Chirinho flourished to get up coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Sphere 1, prior to he was very soon overwhelmed. As an expert, Chirinho had certainly never been actually knocked down prior to Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza generated a surprise in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and also he outlanded him in the last three arounds. Although he is actually not as expert as Lopez, the amount of blows he has actually included his final 2 matches, in addition to his elevation and also hit conveniences, might verify overwhelming for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually looked implausible in current matches, while our company still require to find a lot more coming from Scar Ball prior to our experts proclaim him the department's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight title along with a split selection win over Raymond Ford in June. That conquest observed a debatable draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. Yet Espinoza would certainly stand over 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was frustrating versus Round and has not succeeded in almost two years, so it is actually tough to show a disagreement for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in eight arounds in a third defense of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has beat major difficulties in headline fights, like punching in a champion's home town and also receiving slice early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he gains on Sunday against Angelo Leo, he may perhaps encounter his largest difficulty yet in a headline marriage match versus Espinoza to dental crown the most effective boxer in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will certainly KO Daniel DuboisReal. Comparable to Dubois' revival has actually been simply a year after being come by Oleksandr Usyk, current type suggests his initial IBF abundant headline self defense will certainly end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in leading kind, a lot more so than every other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has had to fix his job, after enduring back-to-back decision losses to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua fought carefully, along with an unanimous choice sway Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, but in his final three matches, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned coming from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF interim heavyweight champ after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Round 8. Usyk at that point relinquished the IBF belt, which suggested Dubois was actually improved to full champion, and so offers Joshua along with the opportunity to become a three-time globe champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will certainly try to exploit what Hrgovic had redoed success with versus Dubois. Hrgovic constantly landed right-hand men on Dubois in the very early arounds, and Joshua has displayed in latest fights just how damaging his right-hand men seek he destroyed Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the former UFC heavyweight champ's chin to knock him out cold. Joshua is going to take possession of the chance if Dubois makes themself likewise accessible, as he performed versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a bigger puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois presented durability to take in type June, he has actually been actually quit twice (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk in 2014) and was defeated 3 attend the preliminary through Kevin Lerena prior to recovering to win in Cycle 3. However it is actually no walk in the park for Joshua, who likewise needs to have to appreciate Dubois' power. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's skin and may likely manage a shock stoppage versus Joshua, just like Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. However Joshua, that ruled as champion coming from 2016 to 2019 and after that coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually more probable to succeed this match through KO.-- Parkinson.