.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt against Angelo Leo generally event of a Leading Rank on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's last reduction resided in May 2019 and he has won 14 consecutive matches given that, consisting of exceptional success over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the most ideal featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently declined a financially rewarding battle against fellow light in weight champion Gervonta "Container" Davis and while he hasn't introduced his retirement, will our team view "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will certainly make his second ring appearance this year, yet not versus the fighter enthusiasts have actually demanded. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo is going to encounter Edgar Berlanga, who is actually never ever dealt with at this degree in his quick profession. While Berlanga has incredible electrical power-- he began his occupation with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can easily he locate a technique to succeed, or even at least go the span versus Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua will definitely fight for a headline for the first time in two years. Joshua is going to face IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is favored to come to be a three-time globe champion (-550 per ESPN BET). And also two-division champion Danny Garcia comes back to the ring for only the 2nd attend practically four years to handle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that won belts at 140 as well as 147 pounds, is going up in body weight for the odds to become a three-division champ, however can he distress a more mature however still strong Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Nick Parkinson answer these concerns and even more, trying to differentiate what's actual and what's not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko will certainly resign without an additional fightNot genuine ... for now. Lomachenko is pondering retirement, resources informed ESPN, aspect of the main reason he declined a rewarding match along with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually likewise an option that Lomachenko will certainly come back in the first fifty percent of 2025 to defend his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a battling mood Sunday in Los Angeles: he and Shakur Stevenson must be actually separated at ringside during the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was found saying to Stevenson, "Let's go appropriate now.If that is actually any kind of evidence, Lomachenko will certainly fight once more. Perhaps even against Davis or Stevenson, both largest battles on the table for him. Yet if he never ever laces up the handwear covers once more, Lomachenko's heritage is actually gotten. He is actually a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and also a pillar of the pound-for-pound listing over the final 10 years.He additionally doesn't require to eliminate for the money. He's earned numerous bucks in his career and also still stays in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's very most well-liked athletes. Whether or not he combats again, he certainly won't do so a lot longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara and also ends up being a champ in a third divisionNot genuine. Garcia has upset the odds just before, featuring an astonishing KO get Amir Khan and also a leading choice victory over Lucas Matthysse. The very first gain lifted him to the upper echelon of the sport and also the second sealed that status.But the Matthysse match was 11 years back, though, and also those 2 trademark Garcia triumphes were at 140 pounds (he additionally won a headline at 147 extra pounds and went up to 154 for a July 2022 draw Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still seeking a gain that matches that, and also a distressed success over Lara would certainly fit the bill.Garcia really did not look like the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and also he hasn't contended considering that. Right now, he'll move up yet another body weight training class (though the Lara battle is actually happening at a catchweight in between 155 as well as 160 pounds) as well as need to emulate band sluggishness. The Sept. 14 middleweight title battle against Lara will definitely be actually Garcia's second since December 2020, when he was directed through Errol Spence Jr.The pick listed below is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, even at 41, shows tremendous energy, albeit against fighters below Garcia's amount. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's match versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, defends his indisputable incredibly middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's leading celebrity, hasn't scored a KO triumph due to the fact that he flattened Caleb Vegetation in a November 2021 battle to win the recognized super middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a knockdown in his last three battles. Against a boxer in Berlanga, that will be battling on the leading level for the very first time, Alvarez should incorporate the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been hurt in the band previously, such as in a step-up battle versus Marcelo Coceres, that lost him in Cycle 9. And his defense isn't precisely seem. Berlanga possesses electrical power (he began his career along with 16 successive KO gains in the first round), as well as if he selects to exchange along with Canelo, Alvarez ought to take him out.Alvarez vowed as much at a pair of news conferences this week to ensure the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: Not one other light champion can hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks an actual risk to Lopez after agonizing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June and also defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a large number decision to gain the WBO headline in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in three of the 4 rounds, while his outbreak win with Ramirez was just one of the most ideal battles in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest planet lightweight champ in past-- will be a problem for Lopez. Chirinho did well to get out of bed coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Around 1, just before he was quickly overpowered. As a professional, Chirinho had certainly never been actually torn down prior to Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza produced a shock in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the last three arounds. Although he is certainly not as professional as Lopez, the volume of punches he has actually included his final two matches, together with his elevation and also get to perks, could verify overwhelming for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually looked implausible in current battles, while our team still need to have to view more from Scar Sphere before our company announce him the division's No. 1. Sphere (20-0-1, 11 KOs) captured the WBA featherweight title with a split choice sway Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment followed a debatable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. But Espinoza will tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually frustrating versus Round and has not succeeded in almost 2 years, so it is actually hard to present a disagreement for him in his present form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after quiting Reiya Abe in 8 rounds in a 3rd protection of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has eliminated big obstacles in title battles, like boxing in a champion's hometown and receiving cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he wins on Saturday versus Angelo Leo, he might probably encounter his largest problem however in a label marriage match against Espinoza to crown the best fighter in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will certainly KO Daniel DuboisReal. As good as Dubois' rebirth has actually been actually just a year after being actually dropped in Oleksandr Usyk, latest type recommends his 1st IBF heavyweight title defense will certainly end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) remains in top type, extra so than any other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has actually had to rebuild his career, after suffering next decision reductions to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua combated carefully, with an unanimous decision get Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his last three fights, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin as well as Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF interim big-time champion after he stopped Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk after that gave up the IBF belt, which suggested Dubois was upgraded to full champ, therefore presents Joshua with the chance to become a three-time globe champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will certainly try to manipulate what Hrgovic had actually repeated effectiveness with against Dubois. Hrgovic frequently landed right-hand men on Dubois in the early rounds, as well as Joshua has displayed in recent fights just how destructive his right-hand men seek he destroyed Ngannou in Around 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the past UFC heavyweight champ's jaw to knock him out chilly. Joshua will seize the chance if Dubois creates themself similarly on call, as he did versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a bigger puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois showed toughness to soak up type June, he has been actually quit two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk last year) as well as was actually defeated 3 attend the preliminary through Kevin Lerena prior to bouncing back to win in Round 3. However it is actually no walk in the playground for Joshua, who also needs to have to value Dubois' electrical power. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's face and may likely pull off a surprise halt versus Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. But Joshua, that concluded as champ from 2016 to 2019 and afterwards coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually more likely to succeed this fight through KO.-- Parkinson.