.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo generally celebration of a Top Ranking 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 and also he has actually succeeded 14 consecutive fights considering that, consisting of excellent success over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the most ideal featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko lately turned down a profitable battle versus fellow light-weight champion Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis and also while he hasn't revealed his retirement, are going to our company observe "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely create his 2nd band appeal this year, but not against the competitor fans have actually demanded. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely encounter Edgar Berlanga, that's never ever dealt with at this level in his brief job. While Berlanga has awesome electrical power-- he started his job with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can easily he find a technique to succeed, or a minimum of go the range versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua will certainly defend a label for the very first time in two years. Joshua will certainly face IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually preferred to end up being a three-time planet champ (-550 per ESPN WAGER). As well as two-division champ Danny Garcia goes back to the band for merely the second time in just about 4 years to handle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that gained waistbands at 140 and also 147 extra pounds, is actually going up in weight for the possibility to end up being a three-division champ, but can he upset a more mature yet still powerful Lara?Mike Coppinger and Chip Parkinson address these inquiries as well as more, making an effort to differentiate what's actual and what is actually not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will resign without an additional fightNot genuine ... in the meantime. Lomachenko is pondering retirement life, resources informed ESPN, portion of the main reason he decreased a rewarding fight with Gervonta Davis in November. There's likewise a probability that Lomachenko will come back in the very first fifty percent of 2025 to safeguard his IBF light-weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a fighting state of mind Saturday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson had to be actually split at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was observed telling Stevenson, "Permit's go correct now.If that is actually any type of indicator, Lomachenko is going to deal with again. Perhaps even versus Davis or Stevenson, the two biggest battles on the desk for him. However if he never shoelaces up the handwear covers once more, Lomachenko's heritage is actually secured. 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 does not require to eliminate for the money. He is actually earned millions of bucks in his profession and still resides in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's very most well-known athletes. Whether or not he battles again, he definitely won't accomplish this a lot longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara as well as comes to be a champ in a third divisionNot real. Garcia has actually upset the possibilities before, consisting of a stunning KO get Amir Khan and a dominant choice triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The first win lifted him to the higher tier of the sporting activity and the latter cemented that status.But the Matthysse battle was actually 11 years back, however, and also those 2 signature Garcia victories went to 140 extra pounds (he also succeeded a title at 147 extra pounds and went up to 154 for a July 2022 win over Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still searching for a gain that matches that, and also a distressed success over Lara would certainly fit the bill.Garcia didn't resemble the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision victory over Benavidez, and he hasn't competed because. Right now, he'll move up one more weight lesson (though the Lara fight is actually happening at a catchweight between 155 and also 160 pounds) and must emulate ring sluggishness. The Sept. 14 middleweight title fight against Lara are going to be Garcia's 2nd due to the fact that December 2020, when he was actually directed through Errol Spence Jr.The choose right here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, shows significant energy, albeit against competitors beneath Garcia's degree. Lara is using a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's battle against Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, defends his undeniable extremely middleweight champion versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's best celebrity, have not scored a KO victory considering that he squashed Caleb Vegetation in a November 2021 match to win the unquestioned very middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has scored a knockdown in his final 3 battles. Against a fighter in Berlanga, who will be battling on the top degree for the very first time, Alvarez ought to add the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been hurt in the ring before, namely in a step-up fight versus Marcelo Coceres, that fell him in Round 9. And also his defense isn't specifically appear. Berlanga has electrical power (he began his job along with 16 successive KO succeeds in the first round), as well as if he selects to exchange with Canelo, Alvarez ought to take him out.Alvarez vowed as a lot at a set of news conferences recently to advertise the match.-- Coppinger Real or not: Not one other lightweight champ may beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a true hazard to Lopez after agonizing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round win in June as well as defeating Robeisy Ramirez through a majority decision to succeed the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in three of the four shots, while his breakout succeed along with Ramirez was among the most effective matches in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest globe lightweight champion in past history-- would be actually a challenge for Lopez. Chirinho succeeded to rise from an uppercut from Espinoza in Around 1, just before he was very soon subdued. As a specialist, Chirinho had actually never ever been knocked down just before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza generated a shock in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the last three arounds. Although he is not as skilled as Lopez, the volume of blows he has thrown in his final 2 fights, along with his elevation as well as reach perks, can prove unbeatable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually appeared unconvincing in current matches, while we still need to have to observe much more coming from Nick Ball prior to we declare him the division's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight headline with a split decision win over Raymond Ford in June. That victory followed a controversial draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. But Espinoza would overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was unsatisfactory versus Ball and has not gained in almost two years, so it is challenging to present a debate 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 self defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has actually gotten over large obstacles in title fights, like punching in a champion's home town and also getting slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and also if he gains on Sunday against Angelo Leo, he may probably encounter his greatest problem but in a label unification fight versus Espinoza to crown the greatest boxer in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will certainly KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' resurgence has been simply a year after being actually stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, recent kind proposes his 1st IBF abundant label protection will finish in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in top form, more thus than some other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has must fix his profession, after suffering back-to-back choice losses to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua fought cautiously, along with an unanimous choice win over Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his final 3 matches, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and also Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF interim big-time champ after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk at that point relinquished the IBF belt, which meant Dubois was actually improved to total champ, therefore provides Joshua with the opportunity to become a three-time globe champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will definitely make an effort to exploit what Hrgovic had actually redoed excellence along with versus Dubois. Hrgovic frequently landed right-hand men on Dubois in the early arounds, and Joshua has shown in recent battles exactly how destructive his right-hand men want he damaged Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the former UFC big-time champion's chin to take him out chilly. Joshua will definitely take the opportunity if Dubois produces themself similarly available, as he performed versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a much bigger puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois presented resilience to take in type June, he has actually been stopped twice (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk in 2015) as well as was actually knocked down 3 attend the first round through Kevin Lerena just before recouping to succeed in Round 3. However it is no stroll in the park for Joshua, who additionally needs to have to value Dubois' electrical power. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's skin and may potentially manage a shock stoppage versus Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. Yet Joshua, who concluded as champion coming from 2016 to 2019 and after that coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually very likely to succeed this match through KO.-- Parkinson.