.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo generally celebration of a Best 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 and also he has actually won 14 consecutive battles due to the fact that, including remarkable triumphes over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the most ideal featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently turned down a rewarding fight versus fellow light in weight champion Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis and while he have not announced his retirement, will definitely we find "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will make his 2nd ring appearance this year, however not against the fighter followers have clamored for. Instead of David Benavidez, Canelo is going to face Edgar Berlanga, that is actually never ever combated at this level in his short career. While Berlanga has incredible power-- he began his job with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can easily he find a technique to succeed, or at least go the range versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will definitely defend a title for the very first time in two years. Joshua will deal with IBF champion Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is chosen to become a three-time planet champ (-550 every ESPN BET). And also two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the band for just the second time in nearly four years to tackle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who gained belts at 140 as well as 147 extra pounds, is going up in body weight for the odds to come to be a three-division champ, but may he distress an older however still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and Nick Parkinson answer these questions and also additional, trying to identify what's real and what is actually not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will certainly retire without one more fightNot real ... in the meantime. Lomachenko is actually considering retired life, sources told ESPN, component of the explanation he decreased a profitable fight along with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There's also a probability that Lomachenko will definitely return in the first one-half of 2025 to protect his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a combating state of mind Saturday in Los Angeles: he and Shakur Stevenson must be actually divided at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was found saying to Stevenson, "Allow's go appropriate now.If that is actually any sign, Lomachenko will definitely combat again. Maybe even against Davis or Stevenson, the 2 greatest matches on the desk for him. But if he certainly never shoelaces up the gloves once again, Lomachenko's tradition is safeguarded. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and a pillar of the pound-for-pound checklist over the final 10 years.He likewise does not require to fight for the money. He is actually made numerous dollars in his career and also still resides in Ukraine, where he is just one of the country's most popular athletes. Regardless if he battles again, he surely won't accomplish this much longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara and becomes a champ in a third divisionNot actual. Garcia has upset the chances before, including a shocking KO gain Amir Khan and also a leading decision success over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st win lifted him to the upper tier of the sporting activity as well as the latter cemented that status.But the Matthysse battle was 11 years ago, though, as well as those two trademark Garcia success went to 140 extra pounds (he also won a label at 147 extra pounds and also moved up to 154 for a July 2022 win over Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still hunting for a gain that matches that, and also a distressed success over Lara will match the bill.Garcia failed to look like the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and also he hasn't contended since. Currently, he'll go up one more body weight training class (though the Lara battle is happening at a catchweight in between 155 and also 160 pounds) as well as must emulate ring stagnation. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline fight against Lara will certainly be Garcia's 2nd due to the fact that December 2020, when he was actually routed by Errol Spence Jr.The select listed here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, also at 41, reveals incredible electrical power, albeit versus boxers below Garcia's level. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's fight versus Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, protects his recognized extremely middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's best star, have not scored a KO victory because he squashed Caleb Vegetation in a November 2021 match to succeed the recognized extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually racked up a knockdown in his last three matches. Against a fighter in Berlanga, who will definitely be combating on the best amount for the very first time, Alvarez must include the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been actually harmed in the band before, such as in a step-up battle versus Marcelo Coceres, who fell him in Round 9. And his self defense isn't precisely sound. Berlanga possesses power (he began his career along with 16 successive KO wins in the first round), and if he picks to trade with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez vowed as much at a set of press conference today to market the battle.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: Not one other light champion can hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a genuine hazard to Lopez after agonizing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June as well as defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a bulk choice to succeed the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in three of the four shots, while his breakout succeed along with Ramirez was one of the most ideal battles in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest world featherweight champ in record-- would be a problem for Lopez. Chirinho prospered to rise coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Sphere 1, before he was actually quickly overthrown. As a specialist, Chirinho had never been actually brought down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza generated a shock in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the last 3 spheres. Although he is actually certainly not as knowledgeable as Lopez, the quantity of hits he has actually thrown in his last 2 matches, along with his height as well as get to benefits, can show overwhelming for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked implausible in current fights, while we still need to have to find a lot more from Nick Ball before our experts announce him the division's No. 1. Round (20-0-1, 11 KOs) captured the WBA featherweight headline along with a split decision win over Raymond Ford in June. That conquest observed a disputable draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. Yet Espinoza would stand over 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually disappointing versus Sphere as well as has actually certainly not won in almost two years, so it is hard to provide a debate for him in his existing form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a 3rd defense of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has gotten over big challenges in label fights, like punching in a champion's home town and also getting slice early (vs. Josh Warrington), and also if he gains on Saturday versus Angelo Leo, he might maybe encounter his most significant obstacle yet in a title unification match versus Espinoza to dental crown the most effective boxer in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. As good as Dubois' resurgence has actually been merely a year after being actually dropped in Oleksandr Usyk, current type recommends his 1st IBF abundant label defense will definitely end in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in top form, much more therefore than any other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has actually must fix his profession, after experiencing next decision reductions to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua fought meticulously, along with a consensual decision gain Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his final 3 matches, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and also Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting big-time champion after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk then relinquished the IBF belt, which meant Dubois was updated to total champ, consequently shows Joshua along with the opportunity to come to be a three-time planet champ at Wembley Coliseum in London.Joshua will certainly try to exploit what Hrgovic had actually duplicated excellence with versus Dubois. Hrgovic continually landed right-hand men on Dubois in the early spheres, and Joshua has actually displayed in recent matches how detrimental his right hands seek he ruined Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the previous UFC heavyweight champion's face to knock him out cold. Joshua will definitely take possession of the possibility if Dubois makes himself similarly offered, as he performed against Hrgovic. Joshua is a larger puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois presented resilience to take in type June, he has been actually stopped two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk in 2014) as well as was knocked down 3 times in the first round through Kevin Lerena just before bouncing back to win in Cycle 3. However it is no stroll in the playground for Joshua, who also requires to appreciate Dubois' electrical power. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's skin and may possibly carry out a shock deduction versus Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. However Joshua, that concluded as champion coming from 2016 to 2019 and then from 2019 to 2021, is actually more likely to succeed this fight by KO.-- Parkinson.