.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt against Angelo Leo generally celebration of a Top Rank on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's last reduction remained in May 2019 and also he has actually won 14 consecutive battles given that, including impressive triumphes over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently refused a profitable fight against fellow lightweight champ Gervonta "Tank" Davis and while he have not introduced his retired life, are going to our experts find "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely create his 2nd ring look this year, yet not against the boxer enthusiasts have demanded. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely face Edgar Berlanga, who is actually never ever combated at this amount in his quick profession. While Berlanga has awesome electrical power-- he began his career along with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can easily he find a means to gain, or even at least go the span versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua will certainly fight for a title for the first time in two years. Joshua will certainly encounter IBF champ Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is actually favored to become a three-time world champion (-550 every ESPN BET). And two-division champ Danny Garcia comes back to the ring for merely the second time in practically four years to handle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who succeeded belts at 140 and 147 pounds, is moving up in body weight for the chance to end up being a three-division champ, but can he disturb an older yet still strong Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Nick Parkinson address these questions as well as additional, making an effort to differentiate what's genuine and what's not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to retire without yet another fightNot real ... in the meantime. Lomachenko is reflecting upon retired life, sources informed ESPN, portion of the main reason he declined a rewarding fight along with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually additionally an option that Lomachenko will certainly return in the 1st one-half of 2025 to safeguard his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a battling mood Saturday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson must be actually split at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was actually observed telling Stevenson, "Let's go right now.If that is actually any type of indication, Lomachenko is going to battle once more. Perhaps even against Davis or even Stevenson, the 2 greatest matches on the desk for him. But if he never ever laces up the handwear covers once again, Lomachenko's tradition is actually gotten. He is actually a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and also an essential of the pound-for-pound list over the last 10 years.He likewise does not require to fight for the money. He is actually made countless bucks in his occupation as well as still dwells in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's most popular sportsmens. Regardless if he battles once again, he certainly won't do this a lot longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara as well as ends up being a champion in a 3rd divisionNot actual. Garcia has actually upset the chances prior to, featuring a shocking KO sway Amir Khan and a leading choice success over Lucas Matthysse. The first gain lifted him to the higher echelon of the sport and the latter glued that status.But the Matthysse battle was 11 years back, however, and also those two signature Garcia triumphes were at 140 pounds (he additionally succeeded a title at 147 extra pounds and also went up to 154 for a July 2022 gain Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still seeking a win that matches that, and a distressed success over Lara would certainly suit the bill.Garcia didn't resemble the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision victory over Benavidez, as well as he hasn't completed since. Now, he'll go up yet another weight course (though the Lara fight is occurring at a catchweight between 155 as well as 160 extra pounds) as well as need to contend with band inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight label battle against Lara are going to be Garcia's second due to the fact that December 2020, when he was actually transmitted by Errol Spence Jr.The choose listed below is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, also at 41, presents incredible energy, albeit against competitors under Garcia's amount. Lara is riding a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's match versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, guards his recognized very middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's top celebrity, have not racked up a KO victory due to the fact that he squashed Caleb Plant in a November 2021 battle to gain the uncontested incredibly middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a presentation in his last 3 fights. Versus a competitor in Berlanga, that will be actually fighting on the best level for the first time, Alvarez ought to add the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been harmed in the band before, particularly in a step-up battle against Marcelo Coceres, that dropped him in Cycle 9. And also his defense isn't exactly seem. Berlanga has electrical power (he started his career with 16 consecutive KO wins in the preliminary), and if he picks to exchange with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez vowed as much at a set of press conference recently to advertise the battle.-- Coppinger Real or not: Not one other lightweight champ may beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a true threat to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June as well as beating Robeisy Ramirez by a large number decision to win the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in three of the four rounds, while his breakout win along with Ramirez was just one of the greatest fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest planet light champion in background-- will be actually a problem for Lopez. Chirinho did well to get out of bed coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Round 1, before he was actually very soon subdued. As a specialist, Chirinho had actually certainly never been actually torn down just before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza made a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and also he outlanded him in the last three arounds. Although he is actually not as skilled as Lopez, the volume of blows he has thrown in his final two battles, in addition to his height as well as arrive at perks, might confirm impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked implausible in recent battles, while we still need to view even more coming from Chip Ball prior to our team declare him the division's No. 1. Round (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight label with a split decision win over Raymond Ford in June. That victory followed a controversial draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. Yet Espinoza would certainly stand over 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually disappointing versus Sphere as well as has certainly not succeeded in virtually two years, so it is challenging to show an argument for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after quiting Reiya Abe in 8 arounds in a third defense of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has actually overcome huge challenges in title battles, like punching in a champ's hometown and also obtaining cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he wins on Saturday against Angelo Leo, he might possibly face his most significant challenge however in a title marriage match versus Espinoza to crown the most effective competitor in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' revival has been merely a year after being stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, latest type advises his 1st IBF heavyweight headline defense will certainly end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in top kind, even more thus than any other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has had to reconstruct his career, after going through back-to-back selection losses to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua fought meticulously, along with a consensual decision win over Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his final 3 fights, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and also Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF acting heavyweight champ after he stopped Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk at that point relinquished the IBF waistband, which suggested Dubois was upgraded to total champion, therefore presents Joshua with the possibility to come to be a three-time world champ at Wembley Coliseum in London.Joshua will try to manipulate what Hrgovic had actually redoed effectiveness along with versus Dubois. Hrgovic regularly landed right hands on Dubois in the very early arounds, as well as Joshua has shown in current fights how damaging his right-hand men seek he damaged Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the past UFC heavyweight champion's jaw to knock him out cool. Joshua is going to confiscate the possibility if Dubois creates themself similarly on call, as he did against Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a greater puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois presented sturdiness to take in punches in June, he has been actually stopped twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk in 2015) and was actually floored three times in the preliminary by Kevin Lerena before recouping to gain in Cycle 3. But it is actually no stroll in the playground for Joshua, who additionally needs to recognize Dubois' electrical power. Dubois pauperized Hrgovic's skin and may likely manage a shock stop against Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. However Joshua, who concluded as champ from 2016 to 2019 and then from 2019 to 2021, is more likely to gain this battle through KO.-- Parkinson.