.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt against Angelo Leo generally celebration of a Leading Rank on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final reduction was in May 2019 and also he has gained 14 successive matches because, including impressive success over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the greatest featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently declined a lucrative fight versus fellow light-weight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis and while he have not announced his retired life, will certainly our company see "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will certainly make his second ring appeal this year, but certainly not against the fighter fans have actually demanded. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will certainly experience Edgar Berlanga, who's certainly never dealt with at this level in his short occupation. While Berlanga possesses incredible power-- he started his job along with 16 successive first-round KOs-- may he find a means to succeed, or even a minimum of go the proximity versus Alvarez?Former abundant champ Anthony Joshua will fight for a headline for the very first time in two years. Joshua will certainly deal with IBF champ Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually chosen to come to be a three-time world champ (-550 every ESPN WAGER). As well as two-division champion Danny Garcia returns to the band for merely the second attend nearly 4 years to tackle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that succeeded waistbands at 140 and 147 extra pounds, is going up in body weight for the odds to end up being a three-division champion, however can easily he distress an older yet still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger as well as Chip Parkinson respond to these concerns and also more, attempting to distinguish what's actual and also what is actually not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to resign without an additional fightNot real ... for now. Lomachenko is reflecting upon retired life, resources said to ESPN, part of the cause he declined a financially rewarding match along with Gervonta Davis in November. There's also a possibility that Lomachenko are going to return in the 1st one-half of 2025 to shield his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a combating state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he and Shakur Stevenson had to be actually divided at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was actually seen saying to Stevenson, "Permit's go correct now.If that's any sort of indicator, Lomachenko will definitely combat again. Perhaps even against Davis or Stevenson, both largest fights on the table for him. However if he never ever shoelaces up the handwear covers again, Lomachenko's legacy is protected. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer as well as a backbone of the pound-for-pound list over the final 10 years.He additionally doesn't need to have to fight for the money. He's gained numerous dollars in his job and still lives in Ukraine, where he is among the country's most well-known sportsmens. Regardless if he fights once more, he absolutely will not accomplish this a lot longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and comes to be a champ in a 3rd divisionNot genuine. Garcia has actually upset the odds before, consisting of a surprising KO get Amir Khan and a leading choice victory over Lucas Matthysse. The very first win raised him to the higher echelon of the sport and also the last glued that status.But the Matthysse battle was 11 years ago, however, and those pair of signature Garcia success were at 140 pounds (he additionally gained a title at 147 extra pounds and moved up to 154 for a July 2022 gain Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still searching for a gain that matches that, as well as a dismayed triumph over Lara would suit the bill.Garcia didn't be similar to the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, and also he have not completed due to the fact that. Right now, he'll go up an additional body weight training class (though the Lara battle is taking place at a catchweight in between 155 as well as 160 pounds) as well as need to contend with ring inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight label battle versus Lara will certainly be Garcia's 2nd because December 2020, when he was actually transmitted by Errol Spence Jr.The decide on listed here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, even at 41, presents significant power, albeit versus boxers beneath Garcia's degree. Lara is riding a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's battle against Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, guards his uncontested very middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's top superstar, hasn't scored a KO success because he squashed Caleb Plant in a Nov 2021 match to win the undeniable incredibly middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually racked up a knockdown in his final three matches. Versus a competitor in Berlanga, that are going to be actually combating on the best degree for the very first time, Alvarez ought to incorporate the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been actually hurt in the band previously, particularly in a step-up match versus Marcelo Coceres, that dropped him in Round 9. As well as his defense isn't specifically appear. Berlanga has energy (he began his occupation with 16 successive KO wins in the preliminary), and if he selects to swap with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez promised as a lot at a pair of press conference today to advertise the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: No other light champion can easily hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a true threat to Lopez after agonizing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June as well as beating Robeisy Ramirez by a large number selection to win the WBO headline in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in three of the 4 shots, while his outbreak win along with Ramirez was one of the greatest fights in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest globe light champion in background-- would be a challenge for Lopez. Chirinho did well to get out of bed coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Round 1, prior to he was quickly overwhelmed. As a professional, Chirinho had certainly never been actually knocked down just before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza produced a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the last 3 rounds. Although he is not as professional as Lopez, the amount of punches he has included his final two matches, along with his height as well as get to advantages, can show impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked unconvincing in latest battles, while we still require to view much more from Nick Ball prior to we proclaim him the branch's No. 1. Sphere (20-0-1, 11 KOs) grabbed the WBA featherweight title with a split decision draw Raymond Ford in June. That victory observed a debatable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. However Espinoza would tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was unsatisfying versus Ball and has actually certainly not succeeded in almost pair of years, so it is actually difficult to show a disagreement 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 3rd protection of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has actually gotten rid of major challenges in headline battles, like boxing in a champion's home town and getting slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he succeeds on Saturday versus Angelo Leo, he may perhaps experience his most significant problem but in a title unification match against Espinoza to crown the most effective competitor in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' resurgence has been just a year after being actually stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, recent type advises his 1st IBF abundant headline protection will definitely end in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in top form, much more so than every other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has had to rebuild his occupation, after experiencing next selection losses to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua fought very carefully, with an unanimous decision win over Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his last 3 matches, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF acting heavyweight champ after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk then relinquished the IBF waistband, which implied Dubois was updated to complete champ, therefore shows Joshua with the option to become a three-time globe champ at Wembley Coliseum in London.Joshua will make an effort to manipulate what Hrgovic had actually redoed success along with against Dubois. Hrgovic consistently landed right hands on Dubois in the early spheres, and also Joshua has actually received recent battles exactly how damaging his right hands desire he ruined Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the previous UFC heavyweight champ's jaw to knock him out chilly. Joshua will take possession of the possibility if Dubois produces themself likewise available, as he carried out versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a larger puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois presented longevity to take in type 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 attend the first round by Kevin Lerena just before recuperating to gain in Cycle 3. Yet it is no stroll in the park for Joshua, that also requires to value Dubois' electrical power. Dubois made a mess of Hrgovic's skin and can potentially carry out a surprise halt against Joshua, just like Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. But Joshua, that concluded as champ coming from 2016 to 2019 and then coming from 2019 to 2021, is more likely to win this battle through KO.-- Parkinson.