.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo generally activity of a Top Ranking on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's last reduction was in May 2019 as well as he has actually won 14 consecutive matches due to the fact that, featuring remarkable victories over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the best featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently rejected a beneficial fight versus fellow light in weight champ Gervonta "Tank" Davis as well as while he have not revealed his retirement, will our experts find "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez are going to create his second band appearance this year, but not versus the competitor enthusiasts have actually clamored for. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely deal with Edgar Berlanga, who's never ever battled at this level in his short job. While Berlanga possesses unbelievable power-- he started his profession with 16 successive first-round KOs-- may he locate a way to succeed, or a minimum of go the distance versus Alvarez?Former abundant champ Anthony Joshua will defend a label for the very first time in 2 years. Joshua will definitely face IBF champ Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is chosen to end up being a three-time globe champ (-550 per ESPN WAGER). And also two-division champ Danny Garcia goes back to the ring for merely the 2nd attend practically four years to tackle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who won waistbands at 140 and 147 pounds, is going up in weight for the chance to become a three-division champion, but can easily he distress an older however still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Chip Parkinson answer these questions and even more, attempting to distinguish what's real and what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to retire without yet another fightNot actual ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually pondering retired life, resources informed ESPN, part of the explanation he declined a highly profitable fight with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually likewise an opportunity that Lomachenko are going to come back in the very first half of 2025 to safeguard his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a combating mood Sunday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson needed to be actually divided at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was actually viewed informing Stevenson, "Permit's go best now.If that is actually any kind of evidence, Lomachenko will certainly fight once more. Maybe even versus Davis or even Stevenson, the 2 biggest battles on the table for him. But if he certainly never shoelaces up the handwear covers once more, Lomachenko's heritage is gotten. He is actually 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 require to fight for the money. He is actually earned countless dollars in his profession and still dwells in Ukraine, where he is among the nation's most well-known athletes. Regardless if he combats again, he undoubtedly won't do so much longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and comes to be a champ in a 3rd divisionNot real. Garcia has upset the odds prior to, featuring an astonishing KO draw Amir Khan and a prevalent decision victory over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st win raised him to the top tier of the sport and also the latter sealed that status.But the Matthysse fight was actually 11 years earlier, however, and also those two signature Garcia wins were at 140 pounds (he additionally won a title at 147 extra pounds as well as moved up to 154 for a July 2022 draw Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still hunting for a win that matches that, and also a dismayed victory over Lara would certainly fit the bill.Garcia failed to appear like the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision victory over Benavidez, and he have not completed because. Now, he'll go up one more weight training class (though the Lara battle is taking place at a catchweight between 155 as well as 160 extra pounds) and need to contend with band stagnation. The Sept. 14 middleweight title battle versus Lara are going to be actually Garcia's second since December 2020, when he was routed through Errol Spence Jr.The choose right here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, also at 41, reveals significant energy, albeit versus competitors under Garcia's amount. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's fight versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, defends his undeniable extremely middleweight champion versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's leading superstar, have not racked up a KO success since he smoothed Caleb Vegetation in a November 2021 battle to gain the undisputed super middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually racked up a presentation in his final three battles. Against a boxer in Berlanga, that are going to be actually dealing with on the best level for the very first time, Alvarez ought to include the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been actually injured in the band previously, particularly in a step-up battle versus Marcelo Coceres, who fell him in Cycle 9. And his protection isn't exactly appear. Berlanga possesses power (he started his occupation with 16 consecutive KO gains in the preliminary), and also if he picks to swap with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez assured as a lot at a pair of news conferences today to promote the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: No other lightweight champ may hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a true risk to Lopez after agonizing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round win in June and defeating Robeisy Ramirez through a majority choice to win the WBO headline in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in 3 of the four shots, while his escapement win along with Ramirez was just one of the most ideal fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest planet featherweight champion in past history-- would certainly be actually an obstacle for Lopez. Chirinho succeeded to stand up from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Sphere 1, before he was actually soon overpowered. As a qualified, Chirinho had actually never been actually brought down prior to Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza created a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the last three arounds. Although he is actually not as knowledgeable as Lopez, the volume of hits he has actually included his final 2 fights, alongside his elevation and also hit benefits, could verify unbeatable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually appeared unconvincing in latest matches, while our experts still require to find more from Scar Sphere just before our team proclaim him the division's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) grabbed the WBA featherweight title along with a split decision get Raymond Ford in June. That triumph followed a disputable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. But Espinoza would certainly stand over 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was unsatisfying versus Round and also has actually not won in almost 2 years, so it is actually difficult to provide a debate for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the current ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a third protection of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has eliminated huge obstacles in headline fights, like punching in a champ's home town as well as acquiring slice early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he wins on Saturday versus Angelo Leo, he might probably face his most significant problem but in a title unification battle versus Espinoza to dental crown the greatest competitor in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' resurgence has actually been just a year after being visited Oleksandr Usyk, current type suggests his 1st IBF abundant headline protection will certainly finish in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in best form, even more therefore than some other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has must rebuild his job, after experiencing next choice losses to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua fought very carefully, with a consensual choice sway Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, but in his last 3 battles, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin as well as Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned coming from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF acting big-time champion after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk then relinquished the IBF belt, which indicated Dubois was updated to full champ, therefore shows Joshua with the opportunity to come to be a three-time world champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua are going to attempt to exploit what Hrgovic had duplicated effectiveness with versus Dubois. Hrgovic constantly landed right hands on Dubois in the early arounds, and Joshua has actually received current fights just how harmful his right-hand men desire he damaged Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the previous UFC big-time champ's face to knock him out cool. Joshua will seize the option if Dubois makes himself in a similar way available, as he performed versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a greater puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois presented resilience to soak up type June, he has actually been actually stopped twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk in 2015) and also was defeated 3 attend the preliminary by Kevin Lerena prior to recuperating to win in Round 3. Yet it is actually no stroll in the playground for Joshua, that additionally needs to respect Dubois' electrical power. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's face as well as may possibly pull off a surprise stoppage versus Joshua, just like Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. Yet Joshua, that concluded as champ coming from 2016 to 2019 and afterwards coming from 2019 to 2021, is very likely to gain this match through KO.-- Parkinson.