.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo generally occasion of a Best Rank on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final loss remained in May 2019 as well as he has succeeded 14 successive matches given that, consisting of outstanding success over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the best featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently declined a beneficial fight versus fellow light in weight champion Gervonta "Container" Davis and also while he have not announced his retired life, are going to our experts find "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely make his second ring appearance this year, but certainly not against the fighter fans have actually clamored for. Instead of David Benavidez, Canelo will face Edgar Berlanga, that's never ever dealt with at this amount in his quick occupation. While Berlanga possesses unbelievable energy-- he began his profession with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can he locate a technique to gain, or at least go the span against Alvarez?Former abundant champ Anthony Joshua are going to fight for a title for the very first time in 2 years. Joshua will certainly experience IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is favored to end up being a three-time world champion (-550 every ESPN WAGER). And also two-division champ Danny Garcia returns to the ring for just the second time in nearly 4 years to take on WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who succeeded waistbands at 140 and also 147 pounds, is going up in body weight for the possibility to end up being a three-division champ, however may he distress an older yet still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and Nick Parkinson answer these questions and also more, trying to identify what's actual and what's not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to retire without yet another fightNot real ... in the meantime. Lomachenko is considering retirement life, sources informed ESPN, portion of the factor he decreased a highly profitable match along with Gervonta Davis in November. There's additionally an opportunity that Lomachenko will certainly return in the first fifty percent of 2025 to guard his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a fighting mood Sunday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson had to be split at ringside during the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was seen telling Stevenson, "Permit's go appropriate now.If that is actually any sort of indicator, Lomachenko is going to battle once again. Maybe even versus Davis or even Stevenson, both biggest fights on the table for him. Yet if he never ever shoelaces up the gloves again, Lomachenko's heritage is actually gotten. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Venue of Famer as well as an essential of the pound-for-pound list over the final 10 years.He likewise doesn't need to have to eliminate for the cash. He is actually made numerous dollars in his career and also still lives in Ukraine, where he is among the country's very most well-known athletes. Regardless if he battles once more, he certainly will not do so a lot longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and also becomes a champion in a third divisionNot actual. Garcia has outplayed the odds prior to, consisting of a shocking KO get Amir Khan as well as a dominant decision victory over Lucas Matthysse. The initial win raised him to the upper tier of the sport and also the last sealed that status.But the Matthysse match was actually 11 years ago, though, and also those two signature Garcia wins went to 140 pounds (he likewise succeeded 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 gain that matches that, as well as a dismayed success over Lara will suit the bill.Garcia didn't be similar to the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and he hasn't competed given that. Currently, he'll go up yet another weight course (though the Lara fight is occurring at a catchweight in between 155 and 160 extra pounds) as well as have to emulate ring lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline fight against Lara will definitely be actually Garcia's second due to the fact that December 2020, when he was routed through Errol Spence Jr.The choose listed here is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, even at 41, reveals tremendous electrical power, albeit versus boxers beneath Garcia's amount. Lara is actually riding a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's match against Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, shields his indisputable incredibly middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's best superstar, hasn't racked up a KO victory considering that he smoothed Caleb Plant in a November 2021 battle to succeed the uncontested tremendously middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has scored a knockdown in his final three matches. Against a boxer in Berlanga, who will certainly be combating on the best degree for the very first time, Alvarez should incorporate the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been harmed in the band in the past, specifically in a step-up match versus Marcelo Coceres, that lost him in Cycle 9. And his self defense isn't exactly seem. Berlanga has energy (he began his career along with 16 successive KO succeeds in the first round), and if he chooses to exchange along with Canelo, Alvarez needs to take him out.Alvarez promised as a lot at a set of press conference this week to ensure the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: No other featherweight champion can easily hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a true danger to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June and beating Robeisy Ramirez through a large number selection to succeed the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in three of the four shots, while his breakout win along with Ramirez was among the most effective battles in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest planet light champ in record-- would be a problem for Lopez. Chirinho succeeded to stand up from an uppercut from Espinoza in Around 1, prior to he was soon subdued. As an expert, Chirinho had never been actually torn down just before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza produced a shock in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the final 3 rounds. Although he is actually certainly not as seasoned as Lopez, the amount of blows he has included his last two fights, along with his height and reach benefits, could possibly prove unbeatable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually appeared implausible in latest fights, while we still need to have to observe even more coming from Scar Ball just before our team announce him the branch's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) captured the WBA featherweight title along with a split choice gain Raymond Ford in June. That triumph followed a disputable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. Yet Espinoza would tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was frustrating versus Ball as well as has actually certainly not gained in nearly pair of years, so it is difficult to offer a debate for him in his present form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after quiting Reiya Abe in eight spheres in a third defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has conquered big challenges in label battles, like punching in a champ's hometown and obtaining cut early (vs. Josh Warrington), and also if he wins on Saturday versus Angelo Leo, he may perhaps face his most significant difficulty however in a label marriage match against Espinoza to crown the best fighter in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Comparable to Dubois' rebirth has been simply a year after being actually dropped in Oleksandr Usyk, current kind advises his 1st IBF heavyweight headline self defense will certainly end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) remains in best kind, extra thus than every other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has needed to rebuild his career, after suffering next selection losses to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua combated meticulously, with a consensual selection win over Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, but in his final three fights, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin as well as Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back coming from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF acting big-time champ after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk after that relinquished the IBF belt, which suggested Dubois was actually improved to full champ, consequently provides Joshua with the option to become a three-time planet champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will certainly make an effort to manipulate what Hrgovic had duplicated excellence along with against Dubois. Hrgovic frequently landed right hands on Dubois in the early rounds, as well as Joshua has shown in recent matches just how destructive his right hands seek he destroyed Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the previous UFC big-time champion's chin to take him out cool. Joshua will certainly take possession of the option if Dubois makes themself likewise on call, as he carried out versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a larger puncher than Hrgovic and also, although Dubois showed resilience to absorb punches in June, he has been actually quit two times (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk in 2015) and was floored three attend the first round by Kevin Lerena just before recuperating to win in Cycle 3. Yet it is no walk in the park for Joshua, that also needs to have to value Dubois' energy. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's skin as well as may possibly pull off a surprise standstill against Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. Yet Joshua, who ruled as champion from 2016 to 2019 and then from 2019 to 2021, is actually most likely to win this match through KO.-- Parkinson.