.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo in the main activity of a Leading Rank on ESPN memory card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's last reduction was in May 2019 as well as he has succeeded 14 successive battles considering that, featuring impressive victories over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the most ideal featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently rejected a profitable battle versus fellow light in weight champion Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis and also while he have not introduced his retirement, will our company see "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez are going to make his 2nd ring look this year, however not versus the fighter followers have actually clamored for. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will certainly encounter Edgar Berlanga, who's never dealt with at this level in his quick profession. While Berlanga has awesome electrical power-- he began his profession with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can easily he discover a means to win, or even at the very least go the span versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua will definitely defend a headline for the first time in two years. Joshua is going to encounter IBF champ Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is favored to become a three-time planet champ (-550 per ESPN WAGER). And two-division champion Danny Garcia comes back to the ring for just the 2nd attend almost four years to tackle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that succeeded belts at 140 as well as 147 pounds, is actually going up in weight for the possibility to become a three-division champ, but may he disturb an older but still powerful Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Chip Parkinson answer these concerns as well as additional, attempting to differentiate what's true and also what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to retire without an additional fightNot real ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually considering retired life, sources said to ESPN, part of the cause he declined a beneficial fight with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually also a probability that Lomachenko will certainly return in the first half of 2025 to protect his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a dealing with mood Sunday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson needed to be actually divided at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was actually found saying to Stevenson, "Permit's go ideal now.If that's any kind of sign, Lomachenko will definitely fight again. Maybe even against Davis or Stevenson, the 2 largest battles on the desk for him. Yet if he never shoelaces up the gloves once again, Lomachenko's tradition is protected. He is actually a three-division champion, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and an essential of the pound-for-pound checklist over the last 10 years.He also does not need to eliminate for the cash. He is actually gained countless dollars in his profession and still lives in Ukraine, where he is among the nation's most well-known sportsmens. Regardless if he fights again, he absolutely will not do this much longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara as well as becomes a champion in a third divisionNot real. Garcia has upset the possibilities before, including an astonishing KO sway Amir Khan as well as a prevalent choice victory over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st win elevated him to the higher tier of the sport and the second cemented that status.But the Matthysse battle was 11 years earlier, however, and those pair of trademark Garcia victories went to 140 extra pounds (he additionally gained a label at 147 extra pounds and moved up to 154 for a July 2022 win over Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still looking for a win that matches that, as well as an upset victory over Lara would suit the bill.Garcia really did not appear like the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, and also he have not completed because. Right now, he'll move up yet another body weight training class (though the Lara battle is taking place at a catchweight in between 155 and 160 extra pounds) and need to emulate ring sluggishness. The Sept. 14 middleweight title battle against Lara will definitely be Garcia's second given that December 2020, when he was actually directed by Errol Spence Jr.The select listed below is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, also at 41, presents enormous electrical power, albeit against boxers below Garcia's amount. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's battle versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, shields his recognized very middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's best superstar, hasn't racked up a KO victory considering that he smoothed Caleb Vegetation in a November 2021 fight to win the indisputable super middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has scored a knockdown in his last three fights. Against a fighter in Berlanga, that are going to be actually fighting on the leading amount for the very first time, Alvarez ought to include the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been harmed in the band in the past, namely in a step-up match versus Marcelo Coceres, who fell him in Cycle 9. As well as his defense isn't precisely seem. Berlanga possesses power (he started his job with 16 successive KO gains in the preliminary), as well as if he opts for to swap with Canelo, Alvarez ought to take him out.Alvarez promised as much at a set of news conferences today to market the fight.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: No other lightweight champion can easily hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a true threat to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June as well as defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a large number choice to gain the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in 3 of the 4 shots, while his escapement gain along with Ramirez was among the very best fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest globe lightweight champion in past-- would certainly be actually an obstacle for Lopez. Chirinho flourished to get up from an uppercut from Espinoza in Round 1, before he was quickly overpowered. As a professional, Chirinho had actually certainly never 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 3 rounds. Although he is actually not as professional as Lopez, the volume of punches he has thrown in his last pair of battles, in addition to his height as well as hit advantages, might show insurmountable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has appeared unconvincing in recent battles, while our company still need to view a lot more coming from Nick Round prior to our experts announce him the division's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight headline along with a split selection gain Raymond Ford in June. That triumph adhered to a disputable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. Yet Espinoza would tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually frustrating versus Round and has not succeeded in almost two years, so it is actually difficult to offer a disagreement for him in his present form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in eight arounds in a third defense of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has eliminated large challenges in headline fights, like punching in a champ's home town as well as receiving slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he wins on Saturday versus Angelo Leo, he might maybe encounter his greatest obstacle but in a label unification battle versus Espinoza to dental crown the greatest competitor in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua are going to KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' resurgence has actually been actually only a year after being actually come by Oleksandr Usyk, current form advises his initial IBF heavyweight title self defense are going to end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in best type, much more therefore than every other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has actually needed to rebuild his profession, after going through next choice losses to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua combated cautiously, with an unanimous choice get Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his final three battles, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back coming from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF interim heavyweight champion after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk then relinquished the IBF waistband, which indicated Dubois was actually improved to total champion, consequently presents Joshua along with the possibility to come to be a three-time planet champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua will certainly attempt to exploit what Hrgovic had duplicated effectiveness with against Dubois. Hrgovic regularly landed right-hand men on Dubois in the very early arounds, and also Joshua has received current battles exactly how harmful his right hands are after he destroyed Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the former UFC big-time champion's face to take him out chilly. Joshua is going to take possession of the chance if Dubois creates themself likewise accessible, as he performed versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a greater puncher than Hrgovic and also, although Dubois presented sturdiness to soak up type June, he has actually been actually ceased twice (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk last year) as well as was actually floored three attend the preliminary by Kevin Lerena before bouncing back to win in Round 3. Yet it is actually no walk in the park for Joshua, who additionally requires to value Dubois' energy. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's face and may possibly carry out a shock discontinuance against Joshua, just like Andy Ruiz Jr. did in 2019. Yet Joshua, that concluded as champ from 2016 to 2019 and then from 2019 to 2021, is actually most likely to win this battle by KO.-- Parkinson.