.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo generally celebration 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 final reduction was in May 2019 and also he has actually gained 14 consecutive fights because, including remarkable victories over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the best featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently turned down a lucrative match versus fellow light in weight champ Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis and while he have not announced his retirement life, are going to we observe "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez are going to make his 2nd band appeal this year, but certainly not against the competitor fans have actually demanded. Instead of David Benavidez, Canelo will face Edgar Berlanga, that's never dealt with at this level in his short career. While Berlanga has incredible power-- he began his job along with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can easily he find a technique to gain, or even a minimum of go the proximity versus Alvarez?Former abundant champ Anthony Joshua are going to defend a headline for the first time in 2 years. Joshua will definitely deal with IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is chosen to become a three-time globe champ (-550 per ESPN WAGER). As well as two-division champion Danny Garcia returns to the ring for only the second attend nearly 4 years to handle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who won belts at 140 and 147 extra pounds, is actually going up in body weight for the chance to end up being a three-division champ, but can he distress a more mature yet still powerful Lara?Mike Coppinger as well as Nick Parkinson respond to these inquiries and additional, trying to distinguish what's genuine and what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to resign without another fightNot genuine ... in the meantime. Lomachenko is pondering retirement, resources told ESPN, part of the reason he dropped a highly profitable match with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually likewise a possibility that Lomachenko are going to return in the 1st fifty percent of 2025 to shield his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a fighting state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson had to be actually separated at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was actually viewed telling Stevenson, "Permit's go ideal now.If that is actually any indication, Lomachenko will definitely deal with once more. Maybe even versus Davis or Stevenson, both biggest fights on the table for him. But if he never ever laces up the gloves again, Lomachenko's tradition is protected. He is actually a three-division champ, a first-ballot Venue of Famer as well as a mainstay of the pound-for-pound list over the final 10 years.He also doesn't need to have to combat for the money. He's earned numerous bucks in his profession as well as still stays in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's most popular professional athletes. Regardless if he fights once more, he surely will not accomplish this a lot longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara as well as becomes a champ in a 3rd divisionNot actual. Garcia has upset the chances just before, including a stunning KO draw Amir Khan and also a prevalent choice success over Lucas Matthysse. The initial win elevated him to the top echelon of the sport as well as the latter glued that status.But the Matthysse match was 11 years ago, however, and those pair of trademark Garcia success were at 140 pounds (he likewise gained a headline at 147 extra pounds and went up to 154 for a July 2022 sway Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still hunting for a gain that matches that, and also a dismayed success over Lara would certainly accommodate the bill.Garcia didn't resemble the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, as well as he have not competed given that. Right now, he'll go up yet another body weight class (though the Lara battle is taking place at a catchweight in between 155 as well as 160 pounds) as well as must emulate ring lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline battle versus Lara will definitely be actually Garcia's second considering that December 2020, when he was directed through Errol Spence Jr.The decide on right here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, even at 41, shows enormous energy, albeit against boxers under Garcia's level. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's match against Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, guards his undisputed incredibly middleweight champion versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's leading celebrity, have not scored a KO triumph since he flattened Caleb Vegetation in a Nov 2021 battle to win the unquestioned very middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has scored a knockdown in his last three fights. Against a fighter in Berlanga, that will be combating on the leading amount for the first time, Alvarez ought to include the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been hurt in the band previously, particularly in a step-up battle against Marcelo Coceres, who fell him in Round 9. And his defense isn't specifically appear. Berlanga possesses power (he started his job with 16 consecutive KO gains in the first round), and if he decides on to swap with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez promised as much at a set of news conferences this week to advertise the match.-- Coppinger Real or not: Not one other lightweight champ can easily hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a genuine hazard to Lopez after agonizing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round win in June and also defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a majority decision to succeed the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in three of the four shots, 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 tallest planet light champion in record-- would be a difficulty for Lopez. Chirinho flourished to get up from an uppercut from Espinoza in Around 1, before he was actually soon overthrown. As a qualified, Chirinho had certainly never been actually torn down prior to Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza generated a surprise in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the final three arounds. Although he is certainly not as professional as Lopez, the volume of strikes he has actually included his last two matches, in addition to his elevation and also hit perks, might prove overwhelming for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually looked unconvincing in current fights, while our experts still need to view extra from Nick Round just before our company announce him the department's No. 1. Sphere (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight headline with a split choice get Raymond Ford in June. That triumph complied with a questionable draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. Yet Espinoza would certainly tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually unsatisfactory versus Ball and has actually certainly not won in nearly 2 years, so it is challenging to offer 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 8 spheres in a 3rd defense of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has gotten over large difficulties in headline matches, like punching in a champion's neighborhood as well as obtaining slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he succeeds on Saturday versus Angelo Leo, he might possibly face his largest problem but in a headline marriage match against Espinoza to crown the greatest boxer in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' revival has been only a year after being stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, latest form advises his 1st IBF heavyweight headline protection will finish in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in leading kind, even more thus than some other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has actually needed to rebuild his profession, after going through next choice losses to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua combated meticulously, with a consensual choice win over Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, but in his final three matches, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back coming from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF interim heavyweight champ after he stopped Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk after that relinquished the IBF belt, which meant Dubois was upgraded to complete champ, and so presents Joshua along with the opportunity to end up being a three-time world champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua are going to attempt to exploit what Hrgovic had actually repeated effectiveness along with against Dubois. Hrgovic consistently landed right hands on Dubois in the early spheres, as well as Joshua has actually received current battles how harmful his right-hand men desire he ruined Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the former UFC heavyweight champion's face to knock him out cool. Joshua is going to seize the opportunity if Dubois creates themself likewise readily available, as he carried out versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a greater puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois showed sturdiness to soak up punches in June, he has actually been stopped twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk last year) and was actually floored three attend the first round by Kevin Lerena before recovering to succeed in Round 3. But it is actually no walk in the playground for Joshua, that additionally requires to value Dubois' power. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's skin and can likely pull off a surprise standstill against Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. Yet Joshua, that concluded as champ from 2016 to 2019 and then coming from 2019 to 2021, is more likely to win this fight by KO.-- Parkinson.