.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo generally activity of a Leading 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 was in May 2019 and also he has succeeded 14 consecutive battles due to the fact that, consisting of excellent triumphes over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently denied a financially rewarding match against fellow light in weight champ Gervonta "Container" Davis and also while he hasn't introduced his retirement life, are going to we observe "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will create his 2nd band appeal this year, however not against the competitor enthusiasts have actually clamored for. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo will deal with Edgar Berlanga, that is actually certainly never dealt with at this degree in his brief occupation. While Berlanga has extraordinary power-- he started his job along with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- may he find a technique to succeed, or at the very least go the distance versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua are going to fight for a title for the very first time in two years. Joshua is going to face IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is preferred to end up being a three-time planet champ (-550 every ESPN WAGER). And two-division champion Danny Garcia returns to the ring for merely the second time in nearly 4 years to handle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who succeeded waistbands at 140 and also 147 extra pounds, is moving up in body weight for the odds to become a three-division champ, but can he distress a much older but still strong Lara?Mike Coppinger as well as Chip Parkinson answer these inquiries and also more, attempting to differentiate what's actual and also what is actually not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will retire without yet another fightNot actual ... for now. Lomachenko is actually reflecting upon retirement, sources said to ESPN, part of the explanation he declined a financially rewarding battle with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually likewise an opportunity that Lomachenko will definitely return in the 1st half of 2025 to defend his IBF light-weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a combating mood Saturday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson had to be split at ringside in the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was observed saying to Stevenson, "Allow's go correct now.If that is actually any type of indicator, Lomachenko will definitely combat once again. Maybe even versus Davis or even Stevenson, the two greatest matches on the desk for him. However if he certainly never laces up the gloves again, Lomachenko's legacy is actually secured. He is actually a three-division champ, a first-ballot Venue of Famer as well as a backbone of the pound-for-pound checklist over the final 10 years.He likewise does not need to eliminate for the cash. He's gotten countless dollars in his profession as well as still dwells in Ukraine, where he is among the country's most well-known sportsmens. Whether or not he fights again, he definitely won't do this much longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara as well as becomes a champion in a 3rd divisionNot genuine. Garcia has outplayed the probabilities prior to, featuring a surprising KO get Amir Khan as well as a leading selection success over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st gain elevated him to the upper echelon of the sport and also the last cemented that status.But the Matthysse fight was 11 years earlier, though, and also those pair of trademark Garcia victories were at 140 extra pounds (he also succeeded 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 still hunting for a gain that matches that, and also a distressed success over Lara would suit the bill.Garcia really did not look like the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and he hasn't competed because. Currently, he'll go up an additional body weight course (though the Lara battle is actually happening at a catchweight between 155 as well as 160 pounds) and also need to emulate ring lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline fight against Lara will be Garcia's 2nd considering that December 2020, when he was actually routed by Errol Spence Jr.The pick right here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, reveals significant power, albeit against boxers beneath Garcia's level. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's battle versus Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, guards his recognized incredibly middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's best celebrity, hasn't scored a KO victory given that he smoothed Caleb Plant in a November 2021 fight to win the recognized extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a knockdown in his last three fights. Against a competitor in Berlanga, who will be actually battling on the best degree for the first time, Alvarez ought to add the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been injured in the ring before, specifically in a step-up match versus Marcelo Coceres, that fell him in Cycle 9. As well as his defense isn't exactly appear. Berlanga possesses energy (he started his job with 16 successive KO wins in the first round), and also if he selects to exchange with Canelo, Alvarez ought to take him out.Alvarez guaranteed as much at a pair of press conference recently to promote the match.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: Nothing else lightweight champ may beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a true threat to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June and also defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a majority choice to succeed the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in three of the 4 shots, while his outbreak succeed along with Ramirez was just one of the very best fights in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest planet featherweight champ in history-- will be a problem for Lopez. Chirinho did well to rise coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Round 1, just before he was quickly overpowered. As a qualified, Chirinho had actually certainly never been brought down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza made a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and also he outlanded him in the final three spheres. Although he is actually certainly not as expert as Lopez, the amount of blows he has thrown in his final pair of battles, together with his height as well as get to conveniences, could possibly prove unbeatable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked unconvincing in current fights, while our company still need to have to see a lot more from Chip Round just before our team proclaim him the department's No. 1. Sphere (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight title along with a split selection get Raymond Ford in June. That conquest followed a disputable draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. However Espinoza would certainly tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was unsatisfactory versus Ball as well as has actually not won in nearly two years, so it is challenging to offer an argument for him in his present form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after quiting Reiya Abe in eight spheres in a third self defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has gotten over major obstacles in label matches, like boxing in a champion's hometown and getting slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he gains on Saturday against Angelo Leo, he might maybe face his biggest challenge however in a label unification fight versus Espinoza to crown the greatest competitor in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel DuboisReal. Comparable to Dubois' revival has been merely a year after being stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, latest type advises his very first IBF heavyweight headline protection will finish in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in leading form, a lot more so than some other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has needed to restore his occupation, after suffering back-to-back choice reductions to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua dealt with meticulously, along with a consensual decision sway Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his last three matches, 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 big-time champion after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk after that gave up the IBF waistband, which indicated Dubois was upgraded to complete champion, consequently presents Joshua with the possibility to end up being a three-time world champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua are going to make an effort to manipulate what Hrgovic had redoed excellence with versus Dubois. Hrgovic regularly landed right-hand men on Dubois in the early rounds, and also Joshua has actually displayed in recent matches exactly how harmful his right hands seek he damaged Ngannou in Around 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the past UFC big-time champ's chin to knock him out cold. Joshua will certainly confiscate the opportunity if Dubois makes himself likewise readily available, as he performed versus Hrgovic. Joshua is a bigger puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois presented sturdiness to soak up type June, he has been ceased two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk in 2013) as well as was defeated 3 times in the first round through Kevin Lerena before bouncing back to win in Round 3. But it is no stroll in the park for Joshua, who additionally requires to recognize Dubois' electrical power. Dubois ruined Hrgovic's face and may potentially pull off a surprise discontinuance against Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. did in 2019. However Joshua, who ruled as champion coming from 2016 to 2019 and then coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually very likely to win this match through KO.-- Parkinson.