.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband against Angelo Leo generally activity of a Best Position on ESPN memory card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final reduction was in May 2019 and also he has actually gained 14 successive fights given that, featuring excellent triumphes over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the most ideal featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko lately declined a financially rewarding battle against fellow lightweight champ Gervonta "Tank" Davis and also while he hasn't declared his retirement life, will certainly our experts observe "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely create his second ring look this year, however certainly not versus the competitor enthusiasts have clamored for. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely encounter Edgar Berlanga, who's never ever dealt with at this level in his quick career. While Berlanga possesses amazing electrical power-- he started his career with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can easily he locate a method to succeed, or a minimum of go the span versus Alvarez?Former abundant champ Anthony Joshua will definitely fight for a headline for the very first time in two years. Joshua will certainly experience IBF champion Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is preferred to become a three-time planet champ (-550 per ESPN BET). And two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the ring for only the second time in almost 4 years to tackle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who won waistbands at 140 as well as 147 extra pounds, is moving up in body weight for the opportunity to become a three-division champion, yet can easily he disturb a much older yet still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Nick Parkinson address these inquiries as well as even more, making an effort to differentiate what's real and what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko will definitely retire without yet another fightNot real ... in the meantime. Lomachenko is pondering retirement life, resources told ESPN, aspect of the reason he decreased a profitable match along with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually also an option that Lomachenko will come back in the 1st fifty percent of 2025 to guard his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a combating state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson must be separated at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was actually viewed saying to Stevenson, "Let's go appropriate now.If that is actually any kind of indicator, Lomachenko will combat once more. Perhaps even versus Davis or even Stevenson, the two biggest matches on the desk for him. Yet if he certainly never shoelaces up the gloves again, Lomachenko's tradition is secured. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer as well as a pillar of the pound-for-pound checklist over the last 10 years.He additionally does not require to eliminate for the cash. He is actually made numerous dollars in his job and also still stays in Ukraine, where he is among the nation's very most well-liked athletes. Regardless if he battles once again, he absolutely will not do this a lot longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and becomes a champ in a 3rd divisionNot actual. Garcia has actually upset the probabilities just before, consisting of a stunning KO get Amir Khan as well as a dominant selection success over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st win raised him to the top echelon of the sport and also the latter cemented that status.But the Matthysse battle was 11 years ago, however, and also those two signature Garcia triumphes were at 140 extra pounds (he also gained a title at 147 extra pounds as well as went up to 154 for a July 2022 draw Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still searching for a win that matches that, and also a dismayed victory over Lara will accommodate the bill.Garcia didn't look like the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, and also he have not competed because. Now, he'll go up another weight course (though the Lara battle is happening at a catchweight in between 155 and also 160 extra pounds) and must emulate band stagnation. The Sept. 14 middleweight label battle versus Lara will certainly be Garcia's second considering that December 2020, when he was actually transmitted through Errol Spence Jr.The choose below is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, shows significant electrical power, albeit versus boxers below Garcia's level. Lara is using a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's match versus Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, shields his indisputable super middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's best celebrity, hasn't racked up a KO victory since he smoothed Caleb Plant in a November 2021 battle to win the indisputable super middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually racked up a presentation in his final three fights. Against a competitor in Berlanga, that will be battling on the top degree for the very first time, Alvarez should add the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been injured in the band in the past, specifically in a step-up match versus Marcelo Coceres, that fell him in Round 9. And also his defense isn't exactly sound. Berlanga possesses electrical power (he started his job with 16 successive KO succeeds in the first round), and also if he picks to exchange with Canelo, Alvarez needs to take him out.Alvarez assured as much at a set of press conference today to ensure the match.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: No other lightweight champ can beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a real risk to Lopez after agonizing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June and also beating Robeisy Ramirez by a large number choice to win the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in three of the four shots, while his escapement win with Ramirez was just one of the most ideal matches in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest world featherweight champ in history-- would be actually a challenge for Lopez. Chirinho did well to stand up coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Round 1, prior to he was actually quickly overwhelmed. As a professional, Chirinho had never ever been actually knocked down just before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza generated a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and also he outlanded him in the last three spheres. Although he is not as expert as Lopez, the amount of strikes he has actually included his final 2 matches, alongside his elevation and also reach perks, might verify insurmountable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually looked implausible in recent fights, while our company still need to see more from Scar Ball just before our team declare him the department's No. 1. Round (20-0-1, 11 KOs) captured the WBA featherweight title with a split selection get Raymond Ford in June. That victory followed a questionable draw versus Vargas for the WBC headline in March. However Espinoza would certainly tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was unsatisfactory versus Sphere and also has not gained in nearly pair of years, so it is actually tough to present a debate for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in 8 rounds in a third self defense of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has beat major challenges in headline battles, like punching in a champ's home town and acquiring slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he gains on Saturday against Angelo Leo, he may maybe face his greatest problem but in a label unification fight against Espinoza to dental crown the best competitor in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' revival has been actually only a year after being come by Oleksandr Usyk, recent form recommends his very first IBF heavyweight title protection will certainly end in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in best form, a lot more so than any other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has had to rebuild his occupation, after suffering next choice losses to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua combated cautiously, along with a consentaneous decision draw Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his final three battles, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned coming from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF interim heavyweight champion after he stopped Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk after that gave up the IBF waistband, which suggested Dubois was actually upgraded to total champion, and so offers Joshua along with the chance to come to be a three-time planet champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua are going to make an effort to manipulate what Hrgovic had actually redoed success with against Dubois. Hrgovic continuously landed right hands on Dubois in the early rounds, and Joshua has shown in current matches how harmful his right-hand men seek he destroyed Ngannou in Around 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the previous UFC heavyweight champion's chin to knock him out chilly. Joshua will seize the opportunity if Dubois produces himself similarly readily available, as he performed versus Hrgovic. Joshua is a greater puncher than Hrgovic and also, although Dubois presented resilience to absorb type June, he has been ceased twice (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk last year) and also was actually knocked down 3 attend the preliminary by Kevin Lerena prior to bouncing back to gain in Cycle 3. Yet it is actually no stroll in the playground for Joshua, that likewise requires to respect Dubois' power. Dubois made a mess of Hrgovic's skin as well as may potentially pull off a surprise stop versus Joshua, just like Andy Ruiz Jr. did in 2019. Yet Joshua, who concluded as champ coming from 2016 to 2019 and after that from 2019 to 2021, is more probable to gain this fight through KO.-- Parkinson.