.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband against Angelo Leo in the main activity of a Leading 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 actually won 14 successive matches due to the fact that, featuring impressive triumphes over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently refused a highly profitable match versus fellow light in weight champ Gervonta "Tank" Davis as well as while he have not announced his retirement, will our experts observe "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely make his 2nd band appeal this year, yet certainly not versus the boxer supporters have demanded. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo will certainly encounter Edgar Berlanga, who's never ever dealt with at this degree in his short profession. While Berlanga has amazing energy-- he started his job along with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- may he discover a technique to win, or at least go the range versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will defend a title for the very first time in two years. Joshua will certainly encounter IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually preferred to come to be a three-time globe champion (-550 every ESPN WAGER). And also two-division champion Danny Garcia returns to the band for simply the 2nd attend just about 4 years to tackle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that won belts at 140 and also 147 pounds, is going up in body weight for the chance to come to be a three-division champ, however can easily he distress a much older yet still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger as well as Chip Parkinson address these questions and also additional, making an effort to identify what's real and what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to resign without one more fightNot true ... for now. Lomachenko is actually reflecting upon retired life, resources said to ESPN, part of the factor he decreased a rewarding match along with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There's additionally a possibility that Lomachenko will certainly come back in the first one-half of 2025 to shield his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a fighting state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson must be separated at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was seen telling Stevenson, "Allow's go appropriate now.If that's any kind of indicator, Lomachenko will certainly fight again. Maybe even versus Davis or even Stevenson, the two most significant fights on the table for him. However if he certainly never shoelaces up the gloves once more, Lomachenko's legacy is safeguarded. He's a three-division champion, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and also a backbone of the pound-for-pound list over the last 10 years.He additionally does not need to fight for the money. He's earned numerous dollars in his career as well as still resides in Ukraine, where he is just one of the country's very most preferred athletes. Whether he battles again, he absolutely will not accomplish this much longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara as well as comes to be a champion in a third divisionNot true. Garcia has actually outplayed the possibilities just before, consisting of an astonishing KO draw Amir Khan and also a dominant choice triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The initial win elevated him to the top echelon of the sport as well as the latter cemented that status.But the Matthysse match was actually 11 years earlier, though, as well as those pair of signature Garcia success went to 140 pounds (he additionally gained a label at 147 pounds and went up to 154 for a July 2022 draw Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still hunting for a gain that matches that, as well as a dismayed triumph over Lara would accommodate the bill.Garcia failed to appear like the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and he hasn't competed due to the fact that. Right now, he'll go up an additional body weight class (though the Lara match is actually occurring at a catchweight in between 155 as well as 160 pounds) as well as have to emulate band inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight label fight versus Lara are going to be actually Garcia's second due to the fact that December 2020, when he was actually directed by Errol Spence Jr.The select listed below is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, shows incredible energy, albeit versus fighters below Garcia's amount. Lara is using a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's battle against Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, safeguards his unquestioned incredibly middleweight championship versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's best star, have not racked up a KO victory considering that he flattened Caleb Plant in a Nov 2021 fight to succeed the unquestioned extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has scored a knockdown in his final 3 matches. Versus a boxer in Berlanga, that will definitely be actually fighting on the leading degree for the first time, Alvarez should incorporate the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been actually hurt in the ring previously, specifically in a step-up fight versus Marcelo Coceres, that dropped him in Round 9. And also his defense isn't exactly appear. Berlanga possesses electrical power (he started his job with 16 successive KO succeeds in the preliminary), and also if he opts for to exchange along with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez promised as a lot at a set of press conference this week to advertise the fight.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: No other light champ may beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a true risk to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round win in June as well as defeating Robeisy Ramirez through a large number choice to succeed the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in 3 of the four shots, while his escapement win with Ramirez was among the very best fights in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest world lightweight champion in past history-- will be actually a problem for Lopez. Chirinho did well to rise coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Sphere 1, just before he was quickly subdued. As a professional, Chirinho had never been actually torn down prior to Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza generated a surprise in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the last three rounds. Although he is certainly not as seasoned as Lopez, the volume of hits he has thrown in his final two battles, in addition to his height and reach advantages, could possibly confirm impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked implausible in latest battles, while our experts still need to view much more coming from Scar Ball before our team proclaim him the branch's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight headline with a split selection win over Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment followed a debatable draw versus Vargas for the WBC headline in March. But Espinoza would tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was disappointing versus Sphere and has actually certainly not succeeded in almost pair of years, so it is actually tough to offer an argument for him in his present form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the current ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in eight arounds in a third defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has conquered large obstacles in label battles, like boxing in a champion's neighborhood as well as receiving cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he succeeds on Sunday against Angelo Leo, he may perhaps face his biggest obstacle but in a title marriage battle against Espinoza to dental crown the most effective fighter in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' resurgence has actually been merely a year after being actually dropped in Oleksandr Usyk, latest type advises his 1st IBF heavyweight label protection will definitely finish in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) remains in top kind, even more so than every other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has actually had to rebuild his job, after experiencing back-to-back decision reductions to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua combated very carefully, along with an unanimous decision draw Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his final three battles, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin as well as Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back coming from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF acting big-time champion after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk after that gave up the IBF waistband, which implied Dubois was improved to full champ, consequently shows Joshua with the chance to end up being a three-time world champ at Wembley Coliseum in London.Joshua are going to try to exploit what Hrgovic had repeated effectiveness along with versus Dubois. Hrgovic consistently landed right-hand men on Dubois in the early arounds, and Joshua has actually received current matches exactly how destructive his right hands are after he destroyed Ngannou in Around 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the previous UFC heavyweight champion's jaw to knock him out cold. Joshua will definitely confiscate the opportunity if Dubois creates themself similarly available, as he carried out versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a greater puncher than Hrgovic and also, although Dubois showed durability to soak up type June, he has actually been quit twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 as well as Usyk in 2013) as well as was knocked down 3 attend the first round through Kevin Lerena prior to recouping to gain in Round 3. But it is no walk in the park for Joshua, that likewise needs to recognize Dubois' energy. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's skin and may possibly manage a surprise interruption against Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. Yet Joshua, that concluded as champion coming from 2016 to 2019 and afterwards from 2019 to 2021, is more likely to gain this fight through KO.-- Parkinson.