.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo generally celebration of a Top Ranking on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's last loss resided in May 2019 as well as he has actually succeeded 14 successive fights considering that, consisting of impressive success over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the greatest featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently declined a highly profitable fight against fellow light-weight champ Gervonta "Container" Davis and while he have not declared his retired life, are going to our experts see "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely make his 2nd band appeal this year, yet not versus the boxer enthusiasts have clamored for. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo will certainly face Edgar Berlanga, that's certainly never fought at this level in his quick career. While Berlanga has awesome power-- he started his occupation along with 16 successive first-round KOs-- may he discover a way to win, or at least go the distance versus Alvarez?Former abundant champ Anthony Joshua will defend a label for the 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 champion (-550 every ESPN WAGER). And two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the ring for just the 2nd time in virtually 4 years to take on WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that succeeded belts at 140 and also 147 extra pounds, is going up in body weight for the possibility to come to be a three-division champ, but can easily he disturb an older yet still effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Scar Parkinson respond to these concerns and additional, making an effort to identify what's true and what's not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to resign without another fightNot true ... for now. Lomachenko is reflecting upon retirement, resources said to ESPN, aspect of the explanation he decreased a highly profitable match with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually also an option that Lomachenko are going to come back in the initial one-half of 2025 to protect his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a dealing with mood Sunday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson must be actually divided at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was seen telling Stevenson, "Let's go correct now.If that's any evidence, Lomachenko will definitely battle once more. Maybe even versus Davis or Stevenson, the 2 largest matches on the table for him. Yet if he certainly never shoelaces up the handwear covers again, 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 listing over the last 10 years.He additionally doesn't need to combat for the cash. He is actually earned millions of dollars in his job as well as still dwells in Ukraine, where he is just one of the country's most well-liked athletes. Whether he fights once again, he surely will not do so a lot longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara as well as becomes a champ in a 3rd divisionNot actual. Garcia has actually upset the possibilities just before, including a stunning KO win over Amir Khan and a leading choice victory over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st win elevated him to the upper tier of the sport and also the last glued that status.But the Matthysse fight was actually 11 years ago, however, and also those 2 signature Garcia success were at 140 pounds (he additionally gained a label at 147 pounds as well as went up to 154 for a July 2022 draw Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still looking for a gain that matches that, and a dismayed success over Lara would suit the bill.Garcia didn't be similar to the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, and also he hasn't competed due to the fact that. Right now, he'll move up yet another weight training class (though the Lara match is happening at a catchweight between 155 as well as 160 extra pounds) as well as have to emulate band stagnation. The Sept. 14 middleweight label match versus Lara will be Garcia's second since December 2020, when he was directed through Errol Spence Jr.The choose here is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, even at 41, shows incredible energy, albeit versus boxers beneath Garcia's degree. Lara is actually riding a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's battle against Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, defends his undeniable tremendously middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu through Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's leading celebrity, have not scored a KO victory given that he flattened Caleb Plant in a Nov 2021 fight to succeed the indisputable extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has racked up a knockdown in his last 3 fights. Versus a fighter in Berlanga, that will be actually combating on the best degree for the very first time, Alvarez needs to incorporate the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been actually harmed in the band in the past, such as in a step-up match against Marcelo Coceres, that fell him in Round 9. As well as his defense isn't specifically appear. Berlanga has energy (he started his career with 16 consecutive KO wins in the first round), and if he picks to exchange along with Canelo, Alvarez needs to take him out.Alvarez promised as a lot at a set of press conference recently to ensure the fight.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: Not one other lightweight champ can beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a genuine danger to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June and also beating Robeisy Ramirez by a large number selection to gain the WBO headline in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in 3 of the 4 rounds, while his escapement succeed with Ramirez was just one of the most ideal matches in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest world featherweight champion in history-- will be actually an obstacle for Lopez. Chirinho prospered to rise coming from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Around 1, before he was actually soon overpowered. As a specialist, Chirinho had certainly never been actually brought down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza created a surprise in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the final three rounds. Although he is not as knowledgeable as Lopez, the quantity of blows he has thrown in his last two fights, along with his elevation as well as arrive at advantages, could possibly confirm impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked unconvincing in recent matches, while our team still require to observe extra coming from Chip Round prior to our experts proclaim him the department's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight label along with a split decision sway Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment complied with a controversial draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. However Espinoza would certainly tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was disappointing versus Round and has not gained in virtually pair of years, so it is actually tough to show a debate 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 self defense of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has eliminated significant challenges in headline battles, like boxing in a champ's home town as well as acquiring cut early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he succeeds on Saturday versus Angelo Leo, he may possibly face his biggest difficulty however in a headline unification match versus Espinoza to dental crown the very best competitor in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel DuboisReal. As good as Dubois' resurgence has actually been only a year after being come by Oleksandr Usyk, recent kind suggests his 1st IBF heavyweight headline protection are going to end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in leading kind, much more therefore than every other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has actually needed to restore his profession, after suffering next decision reductions to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua dealt with carefully, along with a consensual selection get Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his final three fights, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF interim heavyweight champ after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk after that relinquished the IBF waistband, which suggested Dubois was improved to complete champ, therefore offers Joshua along with the chance to become a three-time globe champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will attempt to manipulate what Hrgovic had repeated success with against Dubois. Hrgovic constantly landed right-hand men on Dubois in the early arounds, and Joshua has actually shown in current matches how destructive his right-hand men want he damaged Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the previous UFC heavyweight champion's chin to knock him out cool. Joshua is going to take possession of the possibility if Dubois creates himself similarly offered, as he did against Hrgovic. Joshua is a bigger puncher than Hrgovic and also, although Dubois presented longevity to soak up type June, he has been actually stopped two times (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk in 2015) as well as was actually floored 3 times in the first round through Kevin Lerena prior to recouping to gain in Round 3. However it is no stroll in the park for Joshua, who likewise needs to have to appreciate Dubois' electrical power. Dubois made a mess of Hrgovic's face as well as can possibly pull off a shock discontinuance against Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. did in 2019. But Joshua, that ruled as champ from 2016 to 2019 and afterwards from 2019 to 2021, is actually more probable to win this battle by KO.-- Parkinson.