.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband against Angelo Leo generally event 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 resided in May 2019 and he has won 14 successive fights because, consisting of impressive triumphes over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the most ideal featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently turned down a beneficial fight versus fellow light in weight champion Gervonta "Container" Davis and while he hasn't announced his retirement life, will definitely our company observe "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely create his second ring appeal this year, however not versus the boxer fans have actually clamored for. Instead of David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely deal with Edgar Berlanga, that is actually never fought at this level in his short job. While Berlanga has extraordinary energy-- he started his profession along with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can he locate a way to gain, or at least go the distance against Alvarez?Former abundant champ Anthony Joshua will certainly defend a label for the very first time in 2 years. Joshua will definitely face IBF champ Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is actually favored to end up being a three-time world champion (-550 per ESPN WAGER). As well as two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the ring for simply the 2nd attend nearly four years to tackle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who succeeded belts at 140 and 147 pounds, is actually moving up in weight for the possibility to become a three-division champ, but can easily he disturb a more mature but still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and Nick Parkinson answer these questions and also more, trying to differentiate what's genuine and what's not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to retire without one more fightNot genuine ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually considering retired life, sources said to ESPN, aspect of the main reason he dropped a financially rewarding fight along with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually also an opportunity that Lomachenko will definitely come back in the 1st one-half of 2025 to safeguard his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a combating state of mind Saturday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson had to be actually split at ringside during the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was observed informing Stevenson, "Let's go correct now.If that's any sort of indication, Lomachenko will certainly fight again. Maybe even versus Davis or Stevenson, the two most significant battles on the table for him. However if he certainly never laces up the gloves once again, Lomachenko's tradition is gotten. He is actually a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and an essential of the pound-for-pound listing over the last 10 years.He also doesn't need to overcome for the cash. He's earned numerous dollars in his career and also still lives in Ukraine, where he is just one of the nation's most popular sportsmens. Whether or not he combats once again, he surely won't do this a lot longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara as well as comes to be a champ in a 3rd divisionNot genuine. Garcia has actually outplayed the chances prior to, featuring a shocking KO gain Amir Khan and a dominant selection success over Lucas Matthysse. The initial win elevated him to the top echelon of the sport as well as the second bound that status.But the Matthysse match was actually 11 years earlier, though, as well as those two trademark Garcia triumphes went to 140 pounds (he likewise won a label at 147 pounds as well as went up to 154 for a July 2022 gain Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still searching for a win that matches that, as well as an upset victory over Lara would match the bill.Garcia really did not resemble the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, as well as he hasn't competed given that. Right now, he'll move up one more body weight training class (though the Lara match is happening at a catchweight between 155 and also 160 pounds) and have to contend with band inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight label battle against Lara will be Garcia's 2nd given that December 2020, when he was directed by Errol Spence Jr.The select listed here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, presents enormous power, albeit versus boxers under Garcia's level. Lara is actually riding a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's match versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, protects his unquestioned super middleweight championship versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu through Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's top celebrity, hasn't racked up a KO victory since he smoothed Caleb Plant in a Nov 2021 fight to win the undeniable extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a presentation in his final three battles. Versus a competitor in Berlanga, who are going to be dealing with on the leading amount for the very first time, Alvarez ought to incorporate the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been injured in the band in the past, particularly in a step-up match versus Marcelo Coceres, who lost him in Cycle 9. And his protection isn't precisely appear. Berlanga has energy (he started his career with 16 successive KO succeeds in the first round), and if he decides on to trade with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez guaranteed as a lot at a set of press conference today to market the battle.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: Nothing else light champion may hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a true threat to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June and also beating Robeisy Ramirez through a bulk decision to succeed the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in 3 of the four rounds, while his outbreak succeed with Ramirez was just one of the best fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest planet lightweight champ in past history-- will be actually a difficulty for Lopez. Chirinho prospered to get up from an uppercut from Espinoza in Around 1, before he was actually very soon subdued. As an expert, Chirinho had actually certainly never been brought down prior to Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza made a shock in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the last 3 spheres. Although he is actually not as experienced as Lopez, the amount of blows he has included his final pair of battles, together with his elevation and also get to advantages, can prove insurmountable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has appeared implausible in recent fights, while we still require to see even more from Nick Ball prior to our team declare him the division's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight label along with a split decision win over Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment followed a questionable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. But Espinoza would certainly overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually frustrating versus Sphere and also has actually not gained in almost two years, so it is actually challenging to present an argument for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in 8 spheres in a 3rd protection of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has gotten over big obstacles in title matches, like boxing in a champion's hometown as well as obtaining cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and also if he wins on Saturday against Angelo Leo, he might maybe face his greatest obstacle but in a headline marriage match against Espinoza to crown the greatest competitor in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua are going to KO Daniel DuboisReal. Comparable to Dubois' rebirth has actually been only a year after being actually come by Oleksandr Usyk, recent type suggests his 1st IBF heavyweight headline defense will certainly end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in leading kind, more so than any other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has actually had to restore his job, after suffering back-to-back decision reductions to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua battled very carefully, with a consentaneous choice draw Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his final 3 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 champion after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk after that relinquished the IBF belt, which suggested Dubois was actually improved to complete champ, consequently presents Joshua with the possibility to end up being a three-time world champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua will definitely make an effort to exploit what Hrgovic had duplicated results along with against Dubois. Hrgovic consistently landed right-hand men on Dubois in the early arounds, as well as Joshua has actually shown in recent matches how detrimental his right hands desire he damaged Ngannou in Around 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the former UFC big-time champ's jaw to knock him out chilly. Joshua will definitely take possession of the opportunity if Dubois produces himself likewise offered, as he performed versus Hrgovic. Joshua is a larger puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois revealed toughness to soak up type June, he has actually been actually quit two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk in 2015) and also was actually knocked down 3 times in the preliminary by Kevin Lerena just before bouncing back to gain in Cycle 3. But it is no walk in the playground for Joshua, who also requires to recognize Dubois' power. Dubois made a mess of Hrgovic's face as well as may likely pull off a shock interruption versus Joshua, just like Andy Ruiz Jr. did in 2019. Yet Joshua, who ruled as champ coming from 2016 to 2019 and after that coming from 2019 to 2021, is most likely to win this battle by KO.-- Parkinson.