.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo generally celebration of a Best Position on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final loss was in May 2019 as well as he has actually succeeded 14 consecutive fights considering that, including excellent triumphes over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko lately turned down a highly profitable battle versus fellow light in weight champion Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis and also while he hasn't introduced his retired life, are going to our company view "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will certainly create his 2nd band appearance this year, yet not versus the fighter enthusiasts have actually clamored for. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo is going to experience Edgar Berlanga, that's certainly never dealt with at this level in his brief career. While Berlanga possesses fabulous power-- he began his job along with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can he find a technique to succeed, or at the very least go the distance versus Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua will definitely defend a label for the very first time in pair of years. Joshua is going to encounter IBF champ Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is chosen to end up being a three-time planet champ (-550 every ESPN WAGER). And also two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the ring for just the 2nd time in just about 4 years to handle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who succeeded waistbands at 140 as well as 147 extra pounds, is actually moving up in weight for the odds to end up being a three-division champ, but may he distress a much older yet still effective Lara?Mike Coppinger as well as Nick Parkinson answer these inquiries as well as more, making an effort to identify what's true and what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko will certainly resign without yet another fightNot real ... for now. Lomachenko is considering retirement, sources said to ESPN, aspect of the reason he declined a beneficial match along with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There's likewise a possibility that Lomachenko are going to come back in the first half of 2025 to shield his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a combating state of mind Saturday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson had to be divided at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was actually observed telling Stevenson, "Permit's go right now.If that's any sort of indicator, Lomachenko will certainly deal with once again. Maybe even against Davis or even Stevenson, the 2 most significant fights on the table for him. But if he never ever laces up the gloves once more, Lomachenko's heritage is actually safeguarded. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and an essential of the pound-for-pound listing over the last 10 years.He also does not require to overcome for the cash. He is actually earned countless bucks in his occupation and also still lives in Ukraine, where he is among the nation's most popular sportsmens. Regardless if he deals with once more, he definitely won't accomplish this a lot longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and also becomes a champ in a 3rd divisionNot true. Garcia has actually upset the probabilities just before, including a stunning KO gain Amir Khan and a prevalent selection victory over Lucas Matthysse. The initial gain lifted him to the top echelon of the sporting activity and the second cemented that status.But the Matthysse battle was actually 11 years back, however, as well as those pair of signature Garcia victories were at 140 pounds (he also won a headline at 147 extra pounds as well as moved up to 154 for a July 2022 win over Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still seeking a win that matches that, and a distressed triumph over Lara would certainly match the bill.Garcia didn't appear like the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, as well as he hasn't completed given that. Right now, he'll move up an additional weight training class (though the Lara fight is occurring at a catchweight in between 155 and 160 pounds) as well as need to emulate band inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight title match against Lara will be Garcia's 2nd due to the fact that December 2020, when he was transmitted through Errol Spence Jr.The decide on listed below is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, also at 41, presents tremendous power, albeit against competitors beneath Garcia's amount. Lara is using a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's fight versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, shields his unquestioned incredibly middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's top superstar, hasn't racked up a KO success since he smoothed Caleb Vegetation in a November 2021 fight to gain the indisputable super middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has scored a knockdown in his last three battles. Against a fighter in Berlanga, that will be actually fighting on the leading degree for the very first time, Alvarez should include the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been actually harmed in the band previously, namely in a step-up battle against Marcelo Coceres, that lost him in Round 9. And also his self defense isn't exactly seem. Berlanga possesses energy (he started his career along with 16 successive KO succeeds in the first round), and also if he chooses to exchange with Canelo, Alvarez ought to take him out.Alvarez assured as much at a set of news conferences today to promote the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: Nothing else light champ may beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears an actual risk to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June and defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a large number selection to win the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in 3 of the 4 rounds, while his breakout gain along with Ramirez was just one of the most ideal fights in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest planet featherweight champion in record-- will be actually a difficulty for Lopez. Chirinho flourished to get up from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Around 1, just before he was soon overwhelmed. As a specialist, Chirinho had actually never been torn down prior to Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza produced a shock in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and also he outlanded him in the final 3 spheres. Although he is actually certainly not as knowledgeable as Lopez, the quantity of hits he has actually thrown in his final 2 fights, alongside his height and reach perks, can verify insurmountable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually looked implausible in latest battles, while our experts still need to view more coming from Chip Ball just before our experts proclaim him the branch's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight title with a split selection win over Raymond Ford in June. That conquest followed a disputable draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. But Espinoza would stand over 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually disappointing versus Sphere as well as has certainly not gained in virtually 2 years, so it is actually tough to show an argument for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in eight arounds in a 3rd defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has actually conquered big challenges in headline fights, like boxing in a champ's hometown and receiving cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he succeeds on Saturday against Angelo Leo, he might possibly experience his most significant obstacle yet in a title unification match against Espinoza to crown the most effective boxer in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will certainly KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' rebirth has been actually only a year after being actually stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, recent type suggests his first IBF abundant label defense will certainly end in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) remains in best form, much more so than any other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has actually needed to reconstruct his occupation, after going through back-to-back selection reductions to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua dealt with very carefully, along with an unanimous decision gain Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his last 3 fights, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting big-time champ after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk at that point relinquished the IBF belt, which meant Dubois was actually improved to full champ, therefore provides Joshua along with the opportunity to end up being a three-time planet champ at Wembley Coliseum in London.Joshua are going to attempt to manipulate what Hrgovic had repeated results along with against Dubois. Hrgovic frequently landed right-hand men on Dubois in the early rounds, and also Joshua has displayed in latest matches just how destructive his right hands are after he ruined Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the former UFC big-time champion's face to take him out cold. Joshua will definitely take the opportunity if Dubois makes themself similarly accessible, as he performed against Hrgovic. Joshua is a much bigger puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois showed sturdiness to take in punches in June, he has been actually quit twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk in 2014) as well as was defeated three attend the preliminary through Kevin Lerena prior to bouncing back to win in Cycle 3. However it is actually no stroll in the park for Joshua, who also needs to have to respect Dubois' power. Dubois pauperized Hrgovic's face and can possibly pull off a shock deduction versus Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. But Joshua, who ruled as champion from 2016 to 2019 and then coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually most likely to win this battle through KO.-- Parkinson.