.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo generally activity of a Best Rank on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's last reduction was in May 2019 and also he has actually won 14 consecutive matches due to the fact that, including exceptional victories over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the most ideal featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko lately rejected a lucrative battle versus fellow light-weight champ Gervonta "Tank" Davis and also while he hasn't revealed his retired life, will our team find "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will certainly make his 2nd ring look this year, however not versus the fighter fans have demanded. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will certainly encounter Edgar Berlanga, who's certainly never combated at this level in his brief occupation. While Berlanga possesses amazing energy-- he started his job with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can he locate a way to succeed, or at least go the proximity against Alvarez?Former heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua will defend a title for the very first time in two years. Joshua will deal with IBF champ Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is actually chosen to come to be a three-time planet champ (-550 per ESPN WAGER). And also two-division champ Danny Garcia returns to the ring for merely the second attend almost 4 years to take on WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that gained belts at 140 as well as 147 extra pounds, is going up in weight for the chance to become a three-division champion, yet may he disturb a more mature however still powerful Lara?Mike Coppinger and Nick Parkinson respond to these questions and also more, trying to identify what's actual as well as what is actually not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will definitely resign without yet another fightNot real ... for now. Lomachenko is contemplating retirement life, resources informed ESPN, component of the reason he decreased a lucrative battle with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There's also a possibility that Lomachenko will certainly return in the initial half of 2025 to defend his IBF light-weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a dealing with state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson had to be separated at ringside during the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was viewed telling Stevenson, "Let's go correct now.If that is actually any indicator, Lomachenko will definitely combat again. Perhaps even versus Davis or even Stevenson, the 2 most significant matches on the desk for him. Yet if he never shoelaces up the gloves once again, Lomachenko's tradition is secured. He is actually a three-division champ, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and also a pillar of the pound-for-pound list over the final 10 years.He likewise does not need to eliminate for the cash. He is actually gained numerous dollars in his profession as well as still dwells in Ukraine, where he is just one of the nation's very most preferred athletes. Regardless if he combats again, he undoubtedly will not do this much longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara as well as comes to be a champ in a third divisionNot actual. Garcia has actually outplayed the possibilities just before, consisting of a stunning KO get Amir Khan as well as a prevalent selection triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st gain raised him to the higher tier of the sporting activity and the second glued that status.But the Matthysse match was actually 11 years back, though, and those 2 trademark Garcia wins went to 140 extra pounds (he additionally won a label at 147 extra pounds and also went up to 154 for a July 2022 get Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still seeking a gain that matches that, and also a dismayed triumph over Lara would certainly match the bill.Garcia didn't look like the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, as well as he hasn't contended because. Currently, he'll go up yet another body weight class (though the Lara battle is actually taking place at a catchweight in between 155 as well as 160 extra pounds) and also have to emulate band lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline battle versus Lara will be Garcia's 2nd given that December 2020, when he was actually transmitted through Errol Spence Jr.The choose listed here is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, shows tremendous energy, albeit against boxers under Garcia's amount. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's fight against Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, defends his indisputable very middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu through Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's top celebrity, have not racked up a KO triumph because he smoothed Caleb Vegetation in a November 2021 fight to win the indisputable very middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has scored a presentation in his last three matches. Versus a fighter in Berlanga, that will be battling on the best level for the very first time, Alvarez should include the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been actually injured in the ring before, namely in a step-up battle versus Marcelo Coceres, that lost him in Cycle 9. And also his protection isn't specifically sound. Berlanga possesses energy (he began his profession with 16 consecutive KO gains in the first round), as well as if he chooses to exchange along with Canelo, Alvarez needs to take him out.Alvarez assured as a lot at a set of news conferences today to promote the battle.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: No other light champ can hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks an actual hazard to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June and defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a bulk decision to succeed the WBO headline in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in three of the four rounds, while his breakout succeed along with Ramirez was just one of the very best matches in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest planet featherweight champion in past-- would certainly be actually a difficulty for Lopez. Chirinho flourished to get out of bed coming from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Sphere 1, before he was actually soon overthrown. As an expert, Chirinho had actually certainly never been brought down prior to Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza created a surprise in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the last 3 arounds. Although he is certainly not as skilled as Lopez, the quantity of punches he has thrown in his final two battles, together with his elevation and also get to conveniences, could possibly verify unbeatable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked implausible in recent battles, while our experts still need to observe more coming from Nick Round just before we declare him the department's No. 1. Sphere (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight title along with a split choice gain Raymond Ford in June. That conquest adhered to a disputable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. But Espinoza would certainly overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually disappointing versus Sphere and has not won in almost 2 years, so it is difficult to show an argument for him in his present form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a 3rd defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has gotten rid of large problems in headline fights, like punching in a champion's hometown and acquiring slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he wins on Saturday against Angelo Leo, he might perhaps encounter his greatest obstacle however in a headline unification battle against Espinoza to dental crown the most effective competitor in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will certainly KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' resurgence has actually been just a year after being come by Oleksandr Usyk, current form advises his 1st IBF heavyweight headline protection are going to finish in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) remains in top form, more thus than every other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has needed to fix his job, after suffering back-to-back decision losses to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua battled carefully, with a consentaneous decision win over Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his final 3 battles, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned coming from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting big-time champ after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk at that point gave up the IBF waistband, which implied Dubois was actually updated to complete champion, therefore shows Joshua with the chance to come to be a three-time world champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will attempt to manipulate what Hrgovic had redoed effectiveness along with versus Dubois. Hrgovic regularly landed right hands on Dubois in the early arounds, and Joshua has actually displayed in recent battles exactly how detrimental his right-hand men seek he damaged Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the previous UFC heavyweight champ's face to take him out cold. Joshua will seize the opportunity if Dubois makes themself similarly available, as he performed against Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a much bigger puncher than Hrgovic and also, although Dubois revealed toughness to absorb punches in June, he has been actually quit two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 as well as Usyk in 2014) and was floored three times in the first round by Kevin Lerena prior to recovering to gain in Round 3. Yet it is actually no walk in the playground for Joshua, that additionally requires to value Dubois' electrical power. Dubois pauperized Hrgovic's skin as well as may possibly pull off a surprise halt versus Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. But Joshua, who ruled as champ from 2016 to 2019 and then coming from 2019 to 2021, is very likely to succeed this match by KO.-- Parkinson.