.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo in the main occasion of a Best Ranking on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final loss resided in May 2019 and he has actually gained 14 consecutive matches given that, featuring impressive success over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the greatest featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko lately rejected a highly profitable fight versus fellow light in weight champ Gervonta "Container" Davis and while he have not announced his retirement life, will our team observe "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will make his second band look this year, yet certainly not versus the boxer enthusiasts have actually demanded. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely encounter Edgar Berlanga, that is actually certainly never combated at this level in his quick job. While Berlanga possesses fabulous power-- he started his occupation with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can easily he locate a way to gain, or at the very least go the distance against Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua will definitely fight for a label for the first time in 2 years. Joshua is going to encounter IBF champ Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is actually chosen to end up being a three-time world champ (-550 per ESPN BET). And also two-division champ Danny Garcia comes back to the ring for just the second time in practically 4 years to take on WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that gained waistbands at 140 and 147 pounds, is moving up in body weight for the opportunity to end up being a three-division champion, however may he upset an older but still powerful Lara?Mike Coppinger and Chip Parkinson answer these questions and also even more, attempting to distinguish what's real and also what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to retire without another fightNot real ... in the meantime. Lomachenko is contemplating retirement, sources told ESPN, part of the main reason he dropped a rewarding battle with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually additionally an option that Lomachenko will definitely come back in the 1st one-half of 2025 to safeguard his IBF light-weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a battling state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson must be separated at ringside in the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was seen telling Stevenson, "Permit's go appropriate now.If that is actually any kind of indicator, Lomachenko will certainly fight again. Maybe even versus Davis or Stevenson, the two biggest matches on the desk for him. But if he certainly never laces up the handwear covers again, Lomachenko's tradition is protected. He's a three-division champion, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a backbone of the pound-for-pound list over the final 10 years.He likewise does not require to combat for the cash. He is actually gained countless dollars in his career and still resides in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's most popular professional athletes. Regardless if he battles once more, he certainly won't accomplish this much longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and comes to be a champ in a third divisionNot true. Garcia has actually upset the odds before, consisting of a stunning KO draw Amir Khan as well as a dominant decision triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The very first gain lifted him to the top tier of the sporting activity and the last bound that status.But the Matthysse fight was 11 years earlier, however, and also those pair of trademark Garcia success went to 140 pounds (he likewise succeeded a label at 147 extra pounds as well as moved up to 154 for a July 2022 get Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still looking for a gain that matches that, and also a dismayed success over Lara would accommodate the bill.Garcia didn't resemble the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and he have not contended because. Right now, he'll go up another weight class (though the Lara fight is taking place at a catchweight in between 155 as well as 160 extra pounds) and must contend with band lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight title battle versus Lara will certainly be Garcia's 2nd since December 2020, when he was actually directed through Errol Spence Jr.The choose right here is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, shows significant power, albeit versus fighters below Garcia's level. Lara is actually riding a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's battle versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, shields his recognized super middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's best superstar, hasn't scored a KO victory since he squashed 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 final 3 battles. Against a fighter in Berlanga, that are going to be actually dealing with on the best degree for the first time, Alvarez should add the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been actually harmed in the ring in the past, particularly in a step-up match versus Marcelo Coceres, who lost him in Cycle 9. And also his defense isn't precisely appear. Berlanga has power (he began his career with 16 consecutive KO gains in the first round), and if he decides on to trade along with Canelo, Alvarez should take him out.Alvarez promised as much at a set of news conferences recently to promote the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: Nothing else light champion may hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a genuine risk to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June as well as beating Robeisy Ramirez through a large number selection to win the WBO headline in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in three of the four rounds, while his breakout gain with Ramirez was among the very best fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest world lightweight champ in background-- would certainly be a difficulty for Lopez. Chirinho succeeded to get up from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Around 1, prior to he was actually very soon overthrown. As a specialist, Chirinho had certainly never been knocked down prior to Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza produced a surprise in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the last three arounds. Although he is not as knowledgeable as Lopez, the quantity of blows he has actually included his last 2 fights, together with his height as well as reach benefits, could confirm overwhelming for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually looked implausible in recent fights, while we still need to find a lot more from Chip Ball prior to our company proclaim him the division's No. 1. Round (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight title with a split choice get Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment followed a controversial draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. However Espinoza would certainly overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was frustrating versus Ball as well as has actually certainly not gained in virtually 2 years, so it is actually hard to present a disagreement for him in his existing form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the current ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a third self defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has actually gotten over large difficulties in label battles, like punching in a champion's hometown as well as obtaining cut early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he gains on Saturday against Angelo Leo, he might possibly encounter his biggest difficulty however in a label marriage match versus Espinoza to dental crown the most ideal fighter in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will certainly KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' resurgence has been actually simply a year after being actually dropped in Oleksandr Usyk, latest form recommends his very first IBF heavyweight title protection will definitely end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in top type, much more therefore than some other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has must rebuild his occupation, after suffering next decision losses to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua fought carefully, along with an unanimous selection gain Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, but in his last 3 matches, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF interim big-time champ after he stopped Filip Hrgovic in Round 8. Usyk at that point relinquished the IBF belt, which indicated Dubois was actually updated to total champion, consequently shows Joshua with the option to come to be a three-time globe champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua are going to try to exploit what Hrgovic had actually duplicated success along with against Dubois. Hrgovic frequently landed right hands on Dubois in the early arounds, as well as Joshua has actually shown in latest battles just how destructive his right hands seek he damaged Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the past UFC heavyweight champ's chin to take him out cold. Joshua will confiscate the possibility if Dubois produces themself in a similar way readily available, as he carried out versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a much bigger puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois showed resilience to absorb type June, he has been stopped twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk last year) and was defeated 3 attend the preliminary through Kevin Lerena before recovering to gain in Cycle 3. However it is no stroll in the park for Joshua, that also needs to appreciate Dubois' electrical power. Dubois ruined Hrgovic's face and can possibly manage a surprise discontinuance versus Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. But Joshua, who ruled as champion coming from 2016 to 2019 and afterwards coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually more probable to gain this fight by KO.-- Parkinson.