.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo in the main occasion of a Best Rank on ESPN memory card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final reduction resided in May 2019 and also he has actually gained 14 successive battles considering that, consisting of remarkable triumphes over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the best featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently rejected a financially rewarding fight versus fellow light in weight champ Gervonta "Container" Davis and while he have not declared his retirement life, will certainly we see "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely make his 2nd ring appeal this year, but not versus the fighter supporters have actually demanded. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely face Edgar Berlanga, who is actually never ever battled at this level in his quick occupation. While Berlanga has incredible electrical power-- he started his occupation along with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can easily he find a way to win, or even at the very least go the range against Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua are going to defend a label for the very first time in pair of years. Joshua is going to encounter IBF champion Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is preferred to come to be a three-time planet champion (-550 every ESPN WAGER). As well as two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the band for just the second attend nearly four years to take on WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who succeeded belts at 140 as well as 147 pounds, is actually going up in weight for the odds to come to be a three-division champ, however may he upset an older but still effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and Nick Parkinson address these inquiries and also additional, trying to identify what's true as well as what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to retire without another fightNot genuine ... in the meantime. Lomachenko is actually contemplating retired life, sources said to ESPN, portion of the explanation he decreased a beneficial battle along with Gervonta Davis in November. There's likewise a probability that Lomachenko will return in the first half of 2025 to defend his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a battling mood Saturday in Los Angeles: he and Shakur Stevenson must be split at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was seen telling Stevenson, "Permit's go correct now.If that's any kind of evidence, Lomachenko is going to fight once more. Perhaps even versus Davis or Stevenson, both most significant matches on the desk for him. Yet if he never ever shoelaces up the handwear covers again, Lomachenko's heritage is secured. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and also a mainstay of the pound-for-pound listing over the last 10 years.He additionally doesn't need to have to overcome for the money. He is actually gained millions of bucks in his job as well as still resides in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's very most preferred professional athletes. Regardless if he deals with once more, he surely won't do so a lot longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and also ends up being a champion in a 3rd divisionNot actual. Garcia has upset the possibilities prior to, including a shocking KO win over Amir Khan and also a prevalent decision triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The very first win elevated him to the top echelon of the sport and the last glued that status.But the Matthysse fight was 11 years ago, though, and also those two trademark Garcia success went to 140 extra pounds (he also won a label at 147 extra pounds as well as went up to 154 for a July 2022 sway Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still searching for a win that matches that, as well as a dismayed success over Lara will suit the bill.Garcia really did not resemble the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision victory over Benavidez, and also he hasn't competed considering that. Now, he'll move up an additional body weight course (though the Lara battle is actually taking place at a catchweight between 155 and also 160 extra pounds) as well as have to contend with ring stagnation. The Sept. 14 middleweight label match versus Lara are going to be Garcia's 2nd since December 2020, when he was actually transmitted through Errol Spence Jr.The decide on below is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, also at 41, shows enormous energy, albeit versus fighters beneath Garcia's degree. Lara is actually riding a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's fight versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, shields his unquestioned extremely middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's top star, hasn't racked up a KO success given that he squashed Caleb Plant in a November 2021 battle to win the indisputable incredibly middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a presentation in his last 3 matches. Versus a competitor in Berlanga, who will be fighting on the best degree for the very first time, Alvarez must incorporate the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been actually harmed in the ring before, particularly in a step-up battle versus Marcelo Coceres, that lost him in Round 9. And his defense isn't exactly seem. Berlanga possesses electrical power (he started his profession with 16 successive KO gains in the first round), and if he picks to swap with Canelo, Alvarez ought to take him out.Alvarez guaranteed as a lot at a pair of news conferences this week to market the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: Not one other featherweight champ can hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a true threat to Lopez after agonizing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June as well as beating Robeisy Ramirez by a bulk decision to win the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in three of the 4 shots, while his breakout win with Ramirez was just one of the most ideal matches in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest planet light champion in past history-- would be actually a difficulty for Lopez. Chirinho did well to get up from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Sphere 1, just before he was actually quickly overwhelmed. As an expert, Chirinho had actually never ever been knocked down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza created a shock in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the last 3 spheres. Although he is actually certainly not as professional as Lopez, the volume of punches he has actually included his final pair of matches, together with his elevation and also get to conveniences, might confirm impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually looked implausible in recent battles, while we still need to have to view much more from Nick Ball prior to our team proclaim him the department's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight label along with a split choice get Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment observed a questionable draw versus Vargas for the WBC headline in March. But Espinoza would certainly tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually frustrating versus Sphere and has not won in nearly 2 years, so it is actually difficult to present a disagreement for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after quiting Reiya Abe in eight arounds in a third defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has conquered significant problems in headline battles, like punching in a champ's home town and also receiving slice early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he wins on Sunday versus Angelo Leo, he might probably experience his most significant difficulty yet in a headline marriage battle versus Espinoza to dental crown the most ideal fighter in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Comparable to Dubois' rebirth has actually been just a year after being visited Oleksandr Usyk, latest type suggests his very first IBF heavyweight title self defense are going to end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in best kind, even more so than every other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has had to reconstruct his job, after enduring back-to-back decision losses to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua combated cautiously, with an unanimous decision win over Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, but in his final 3 matches, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting big-time champ after he stopped Filip Hrgovic in Round 8. Usyk after that relinquished the IBF belt, which suggested Dubois was improved to full champ, consequently shows Joshua along with the option to end up being a three-time world champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua will certainly attempt to exploit what Hrgovic had actually duplicated excellence along with against Dubois. Hrgovic continuously landed right-hand men on Dubois in the early arounds, as well as Joshua has received current battles just how detrimental his right hands desire he damaged Ngannou in Around 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the former UFC big-time champion's face to take him out cold. Joshua will certainly confiscate the possibility if Dubois produces himself in a similar way offered, as he performed against Hrgovic. Joshua is a greater puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois revealed toughness to soak up type June, he has been ceased twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 as well as Usyk last year) and also was actually floored three times in the first round through Kevin Lerena before recovering to gain in Cycle 3. But it is no stroll in the park for Joshua, that additionally needs to have to appreciate Dubois' energy. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's face and can likely manage a shock stoppage versus Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. did in 2019. Yet Joshua, that ruled as champ coming from 2016 to 2019 and afterwards from 2019 to 2021, is actually more likely to gain this fight by KO.-- Parkinson.