.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo generally celebration of a Leading Ranking on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final loss remained in May 2019 as well as he has actually gained 14 successive battles given that, featuring outstanding triumphes over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the greatest featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently turned down a rewarding fight against fellow light in weight champion Gervonta "Container" Davis as well as while he hasn't introduced his retirement, will our company see "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely create his 2nd band appearance this year, however not against the competitor fans have clamored for. Instead of David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely encounter Edgar Berlanga, who's never ever battled at this level in his quick job. While Berlanga possesses fabulous power-- he started his occupation along with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can he find a method to win, or a minimum of go the proximity against Alvarez?Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua are going to defend a title for the first time in 2 years. Joshua will certainly experience IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is favored to end up being a three-time world champ (-550 every ESPN BET). As well as two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the ring for only the 2nd time in almost four years to handle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that succeeded waistbands at 140 as well as 147 extra pounds, is going up in body weight for the odds to end up being a three-division champion, but can he disturb a more mature however still effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and Scar Parkinson respond to these questions and even more, attempting to distinguish what's genuine as well as what's not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will definitely resign without another fightNot actual ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually considering retired life, resources told ESPN, part of the reason he dropped a beneficial battle with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually additionally a possibility that Lomachenko are going to come back in the initial half of 2025 to guard his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a fighting mood Saturday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson had to be divided at ringside during the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was actually seen telling Stevenson, "Permit's go correct now.If that is actually any kind of sign, Lomachenko will certainly combat again. Maybe even versus Davis or Stevenson, the 2 most significant battles on the desk for him. Yet if he certainly never shoelaces up the handwear covers once more, Lomachenko's tradition is gotten. He's a three-division champion, a first-ballot Venue of Famer as well as an essential of the pound-for-pound list over the last 10 years.He likewise doesn't require to combat for the cash. He is actually gotten numerous bucks in his occupation and still stays in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's very most well-liked professional athletes. Whether he fights again, he surely will not do so much longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara and becomes a champ in a 3rd divisionNot genuine. Garcia has upset the odds just before, including a surprising KO sway Amir Khan and also a prevalent selection triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The initial win raised him to the higher echelon of the sport and also the latter glued that status.But the Matthysse fight was actually 11 years ago, though, as well as those pair of trademark Garcia wins went to 140 pounds (he also succeeded a label at 147 pounds and also went up to 154 for a July 2022 draw Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still looking for a gain that matches that, and also an upset victory over Lara will match the bill.Garcia didn't appear like the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, and he have not competed since. Currently, he'll move up an additional body weight course (though the Lara match is happening at a catchweight in between 155 and also 160 pounds) and must contend with ring lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight label battle against Lara will be Garcia's second given that December 2020, when he was transmitted through Errol Spence Jr.The pick listed below is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, reveals significant energy, albeit against fighters below Garcia's degree. Lara is riding a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's match against Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, guards his recognized tremendously middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's leading superstar, hasn't scored a KO triumph considering that he squashed Caleb Vegetation in a Nov 2021 fight to win the indisputable very middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a knockdown in his last three fights. Versus a competitor in Berlanga, who will certainly be fighting on the top degree for the first time, Alvarez must include the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been injured in the band in the past, such as in a step-up battle against Marcelo Coceres, who lost him in Cycle 9. As well as his protection isn't specifically sound. Berlanga has energy (he started his occupation along with 16 consecutive KO succeeds in the preliminary), and also if he decides on to exchange with Canelo, Alvarez needs to take him out.Alvarez guaranteed as a lot at a set of press conference this week to promote the fight.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: No other light champ can beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks an actual hazard to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June as well as defeating Robeisy Ramirez through a majority selection to succeed the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in three of the four rounds, while his outbreak succeed with Ramirez was one of the most effective matches in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest planet featherweight champion in background-- would be an obstacle for Lopez. Chirinho did well to stand up from an uppercut from Espinoza in Round 1, prior to he was very soon subdued. As a qualified, Chirinho had actually never been actually brought 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 knowledgeable as Lopez, the volume of strikes he has thrown in his last pair of fights, together with his height as well as reach perks, could possibly prove unbeatable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has appeared implausible in recent battles, while our team still require to view a lot more from Scar Sphere before our company announce him the department's No. 1. Sphere (20-0-1, 11 KOs) grabbed the WBA featherweight headline along with a split selection gain Raymond Ford in June. That victory observed a debatable draw versus Vargas for the WBC headline in March. However Espinoza would tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was unsatisfactory versus Ball and has actually certainly not gained in almost two years, so it is actually challenging to provide a debate for him in his present form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in 8 spheres in a third self defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has actually overcome huge obstacles in headline fights, like boxing in a champion's neighborhood and also receiving slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he succeeds on Saturday versus Angelo Leo, he might probably experience his largest problem but in a label marriage match versus Espinoza to crown the best fighter in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel DuboisReal. Comparable to Dubois' resurgence has actually been actually only a year after being stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, latest kind proposes his 1st IBF heavyweight headline protection will definitely end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in leading kind, extra therefore than every other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has needed to rebuild his job, after enduring back-to-back selection reductions to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua fought carefully, along with an unanimous choice sway Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his final 3 fights, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting heavyweight champion after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk then gave up the IBF waistband, which implied Dubois was upgraded to full champ, therefore shows Joshua with the possibility to become a three-time planet champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua are going to try to exploit what Hrgovic had actually redoed success along with versus Dubois. Hrgovic continually landed right-hand men on Dubois in the very early rounds, and Joshua has shown in recent battles exactly how destructive his right hands desire he ruined Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the former UFC big-time champion's jaw to knock him out chilly. Joshua will certainly take possession of the opportunity if Dubois produces themself similarly readily available, as he did versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a bigger puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois revealed sturdiness to absorb type June, he has actually been stopped twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk last year) as well as was actually floored 3 times in the first round through Kevin Lerena before recuperating to succeed in Round 3. Yet it is actually no stroll in the park for Joshua, who likewise requires to respect Dubois' energy. Dubois pauperized Hrgovic's skin as well as may possibly manage a shock halt versus Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. However Joshua, who ruled as champion from 2016 to 2019 and then from 2019 to 2021, is most likely to win this match through KO.-- Parkinson.