.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo in the main celebration of a Leading Position on ESPN 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 won 14 consecutive fights given that, consisting of excellent triumphes over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the most ideal featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently refused a lucrative match versus fellow light in weight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis and also while he hasn't declared his retired life, will our experts view "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez are going to make his second ring appeal this year, yet not versus the boxer fans have clamored for. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely face Edgar Berlanga, who is actually certainly never dealt with at this amount in his short occupation. While Berlanga possesses incredible power-- he started his job with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can easily he locate a method to win, or even a minimum of go the distance versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua are going to fight for a title for the very first time in two years. Joshua will certainly experience IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually favored to become a three-time planet champion (-550 per ESPN WAGER). And also two-division champ Danny Garcia comes back to the ring for simply the 2nd time in practically 4 years to take on WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that gained waistbands at 140 and also 147 pounds, is moving up in body weight for the opportunity to come to be a three-division champ, yet can easily he upset a much older however still strong Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Chip Parkinson respond to these inquiries as well as additional, trying to distinguish what's actual and also what is actually not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will definitely retire without an additional fightNot actual ... in the meantime. Lomachenko is actually considering retirement life, resources informed ESPN, component of the explanation he decreased a rewarding match along with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There's additionally a possibility that Lomachenko will return in the first one-half of 2025 to protect his IBF light-weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a battling mood Saturday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson needed to be actually divided at ringside in the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was actually seen saying to Stevenson, "Permit's go best now.If that's any kind of indication, Lomachenko will battle once more. Perhaps even versus Davis or Stevenson, the two most significant matches on the desk for him. However if he never ever shoelaces up the handwear covers again, Lomachenko's tradition is actually protected. He's a three-division champion, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and also a pillar of the pound-for-pound checklist over the last 10 years.He likewise does not need to fight for the cash. He is actually made millions of bucks in his profession as well as still lives in Ukraine, where he is among the country's very most well-liked sportsmens. Whether or not he fights once more, he absolutely will not accomplish this a lot longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and also becomes a champ in a third divisionNot real. Garcia has actually upset the odds before, featuring an astonishing KO win over Amir Khan as well as a leading decision triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The first win lifted him to the top tier of the sporting activity and also the last sealed that status.But the Matthysse match was actually 11 years ago, though, as well as those two signature Garcia victories went to 140 pounds (he likewise succeeded a label at 147 extra pounds and moved up to 154 for a July 2022 sway Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still seeking a gain that matches that, and also an upset triumph over Lara would certainly accommodate the bill.Garcia failed to be similar to the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, as well as he have not competed since. Currently, he'll go up another body weight lesson (though the Lara fight is occurring at a catchweight between 155 as well as 160 pounds) as well as must emulate ring sluggishness. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline fight against Lara are going to be Garcia's second because December 2020, when he was directed by Errol Spence Jr.The select here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, also at 41, reveals tremendous power, albeit against boxers under Garcia's level. Lara is actually riding a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's fight versus Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, shields his recognized incredibly middleweight champion versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu through Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's leading star, hasn't scored a KO victory since he squashed Caleb Vegetation in a Nov 2021 match to win the indisputable tremendously middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has scored a knockdown in his final three fights. Versus a boxer in Berlanga, who will definitely be actually combating on the top amount for the very first time, Alvarez should include the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been actually injured in the band before, namely in a step-up fight versus Marcelo Coceres, who lost him in Cycle 9. And his defense isn't exactly appear. Berlanga has energy (he started his career along with 16 consecutive KO succeeds in the first round), and also if he chooses to exchange along with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez vowed as a lot at a pair of news conferences recently to advertise the battle.-- Coppinger Real or not: Not one other lightweight champ may beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a true hazard to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June and also defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a majority decision to gain the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in 3 of the four rounds, while his escapement win along with Ramirez was one of the best battles in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest planet light champ in history-- would be actually a problem for Lopez. Chirinho prospered to get out of bed from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Around 1, before he was soon overwhelmed. As a professional, Chirinho had never ever been actually brought down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza produced a shock in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the final 3 rounds. Although he is certainly not as seasoned as Lopez, the amount of blows he has actually included his final pair of matches, along with his height and hit conveniences, can show impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has appeared unconvincing in latest matches, while our company still need to find extra from Nick Round just before our experts declare him the department's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight label along with a split decision win over Raymond Ford in June. That triumph observed a disputable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. Yet Espinoza would tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was disappointing versus Sphere as well as has not succeeded in almost two years, so it is actually difficult to provide a disagreement for him in his existing form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in 8 spheres in a third protection of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has gotten rid of large challenges in label battles, like boxing in a champ's home town and also acquiring cut early (vs. Josh Warrington), and also if he wins on Sunday against Angelo Leo, he might maybe encounter his greatest obstacle yet in a label unification match versus Espinoza to dental crown the greatest fighter in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will certainly KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' rebirth has actually been actually only a year after being dropped in Oleksandr Usyk, recent form advises his very first IBF abundant title defense are going to end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in top form, even more so than any other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has actually needed to restore his job, after enduring back-to-back decision reductions to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua battled carefully, with a consensual choice sway Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his last three battles, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and also Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF acting big-time champ after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Round 8. Usyk then gave up the IBF belt, which indicated Dubois was improved to complete champion, consequently provides Joshua with the option to end up being a three-time world champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua are going to make an effort to manipulate what Hrgovic had duplicated effectiveness along with versus Dubois. Hrgovic continuously landed right hands on Dubois in the early rounds, and also Joshua has actually shown in current fights just how harmful his right hands want he destroyed Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the former UFC big-time champion's jaw to take him out cool. Joshua will certainly seize the possibility if Dubois produces himself likewise available, as he performed against Hrgovic. Joshua is a greater puncher than Hrgovic and also, although Dubois presented resilience to soak up punches in June, he has been actually quit two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk in 2013) and also was actually knocked down three times in the preliminary through Kevin Lerena before recuperating to win in Round 3. But it is actually no walk in the playground for Joshua, that likewise needs to have to appreciate Dubois' energy. Dubois pauperized Hrgovic's face as well as can possibly pull off a surprise halt against Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. However Joshua, who ruled as champ coming from 2016 to 2019 and then coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually more probable to win this match through KO.-- Parkinson.