.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo in the main celebration 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 battles because, including exceptional success over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the best featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently turned down a financially rewarding battle versus fellow light-weight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis and also while he hasn't revealed his retired life, will certainly we find "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez are going to make his second band appeal this year, yet certainly not versus the competitor supporters have clamored for. Instead of David Benavidez, Canelo is going to encounter Edgar Berlanga, who is actually never ever dealt with at this level in his brief occupation. While Berlanga has unbelievable electrical power-- he began his profession along with 16 successive first-round KOs-- may he discover a way to win, or even at the very least go the distance against Alvarez?Former abundant champ Anthony Joshua will certainly fight for a headline for the very first time in 2 years. Joshua is going to experience IBF champ Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually chosen to end up being a three-time globe champ (-550 every ESPN WAGER). And two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the band for only the second attend nearly four years to tackle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that won waistbands at 140 and 147 extra pounds, is actually moving up in weight for the opportunity to end up being a three-division champ, yet can he disturb a more mature but still strong Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Nick Parkinson address these inquiries and additional, attempting to differentiate what's genuine and also what is actually not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will resign without another fightNot actual ... in the meantime. Lomachenko is actually considering retirement life, sources informed ESPN, component of the cause he decreased a financially rewarding match with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually likewise a possibility that Lomachenko will definitely come back in the initial half of 2025 to guard his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a fighting mood Saturday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson must be separated at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was seen informing Stevenson, "Permit's go correct now.If that's any kind of evidence, Lomachenko will definitely battle again. Maybe even versus Davis or even Stevenson, the two biggest fights on the table for him. Yet if he never shoelaces up the handwear covers once more, Lomachenko's legacy is gotten. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Venue of Famer as well as a pillar of the pound-for-pound list over the last 10 years.He also does not need to have to fight for the money. He is actually made numerous dollars in his career as well as still stays in Ukraine, where he is just one of the nation's very most well-known athletes. Whether or not he battles once more, he undoubtedly won't do so much longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara as well as comes to be a champ in a 3rd divisionNot real. Garcia has actually outplayed the odds before, including a surprising KO gain Amir Khan and a dominant decision success over Lucas Matthysse. The very first gain lifted him to the upper echelon of the sport as well as the last bound that status.But the Matthysse fight was actually 11 years ago, however, and those 2 trademark Garcia success went to 140 extra pounds (he additionally won a title at 147 pounds and also moved up to 154 for a July 2022 get Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still searching for a win that matches that, as well as an upset success over Lara would certainly suit the bill.Garcia failed to be similar to the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision victory over Benavidez, as well as he have not 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 and 160 pounds) and must emulate ring lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline match versus Lara are going to be Garcia's second due to the fact that December 2020, when he was directed through Errol Spence Jr.The decide on here is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, also at 41, presents incredible electrical power, albeit versus fighters under Garcia's degree. Lara is riding a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's battle versus Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, protects his recognized very middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's leading celebrity, hasn't racked up a KO victory due to the fact that he squashed Caleb Plant in a November 2021 match to succeed the undeniable incredibly middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually racked up a presentation in his last 3 fights. Versus a competitor in Berlanga, that will be actually fighting on the top degree for the first time, Alvarez ought to include the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been actually harmed in the ring before, particularly in a step-up match against Marcelo Coceres, who lost him in Cycle 9. And also his protection isn't precisely sound. Berlanga possesses power (he began his profession along with 16 consecutive KO succeeds in the preliminary), and if he opts for to exchange with Canelo, Alvarez ought to take him out.Alvarez assured as much at a pair of news conferences today to ensure the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: Not one other lightweight champion may beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks an actual threat to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June as well as defeating Robeisy Ramirez through a bulk selection to win the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in 3 of the 4 shots, while his breakout succeed along with Ramirez was just one of the best fights in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest world featherweight champion in past-- would certainly be an obstacle for Lopez. Chirinho did well to get up from an uppercut from Espinoza in Around 1, before he was soon subdued. As a qualified, Chirinho had certainly never been brought down prior to Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza created a surprise in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the last three arounds. Although he is actually certainly not as seasoned as Lopez, the amount of hits he has thrown in his final pair of matches, alongside his elevation and also get to advantages, can verify unbeatable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has appeared unconvincing in latest fights, while we still require to see a lot more from Scar Ball prior to our team proclaim him the branch's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight headline along with a split decision win over Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment complied with a disputable draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. However Espinoza will overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually disappointing versus Round as well as has certainly not won in nearly pair of years, so it is hard to present a disagreement for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the current ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after quiting Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a third protection of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has beat significant obstacles in label matches, like punching in a champ's neighborhood and obtaining cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and also if he gains on Saturday versus Angelo Leo, he may probably encounter his biggest problem however in a title unification battle versus Espinoza to dental crown the best boxer in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' resurgence has actually been actually merely a year after being actually stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, recent kind suggests his initial IBF abundant title protection will definitely finish in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in leading type, even more thus than every other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has actually must fix his occupation, after suffering next selection reductions to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua dealt with cautiously, along with a consentaneous decision sway Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his final 3 fights, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin as well as Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back coming from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting heavyweight champ after he stopped Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk after that relinquished the IBF waistband, which indicated Dubois was upgraded to complete champ, and so provides Joshua with the possibility to end up being a three-time planet champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will make an effort to manipulate what Hrgovic had repeated effectiveness along with versus Dubois. Hrgovic regularly landed right hands on Dubois in the early arounds, and also Joshua has actually displayed in latest battles how damaging his right hands are after he destroyed Ngannou in Around 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the previous UFC heavyweight champion's chin to knock him out chilly. Joshua will certainly take possession of the option if Dubois makes himself in a similar way available, as he did versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a larger puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois presented longevity to take in punches in June, he has been actually quit twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk last year) and was actually defeated 3 times in the preliminary through Kevin Lerena before recuperating to succeed in Cycle 3. Yet it is no stroll in the playground for Joshua, who also requires to respect Dubois' power. Dubois made a mess of Hrgovic's skin and can possibly pull off a shock stop against Joshua, just like Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. Yet Joshua, who ruled as champ coming from 2016 to 2019 and after that coming from 2019 to 2021, is more likely to win this fight through KO.-- Parkinson.