.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt against Angelo Leo generally event of a Best Rank on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's last loss remained in May 2019 and also he has won 14 successive fights given that, consisting of excellent triumphes over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the best featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko lately declined a profitable fight versus fellow lightweight champ Gervonta "Tank" Davis as well as while he hasn't revealed his retired life, will certainly our team observe "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will make his 2nd ring appeal this year, but certainly not versus the fighter followers have demanded. Instead of David Benavidez, Canelo is going to encounter Edgar Berlanga, who is actually certainly never battled at this degree in his short occupation. While Berlanga has unbelievable energy-- he began his job with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can easily he find a means to succeed, or at least go the distance versus Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua will certainly fight for a title for the very first time in two years. Joshua will definitely encounter IBF champion Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is chosen to become a three-time planet champion (-550 every ESPN BET). And two-division champion Danny Garcia returns to the ring for merely the 2nd time in virtually four years to tackle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that gained belts at 140 and 147 pounds, is actually going up in body weight for the opportunity to come to be a three-division champ, however can easily he distress an older but still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Chip Parkinson address these inquiries as well as additional, making an effort to identify what's genuine and what's not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko will retire without another fightNot true ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually pondering retirement life, resources told ESPN, part of the reason he declined a lucrative fight with Gervonta Davis in November. There's likewise a possibility that Lomachenko will definitely return in the initial half of 2025 to shield his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a combating mood Saturday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson needed to be divided at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was viewed informing Stevenson, "Allow's go best now.If that is actually any type of indication, Lomachenko will definitely combat once again. Maybe even versus Davis or Stevenson, the two largest fights on the desk for him. However if he never ever laces up the handwear covers once more, Lomachenko's tradition is actually gotten. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer as well as a backbone of the pound-for-pound listing over the last 10 years.He likewise does not need to have to eliminate for the cash. He's made numerous dollars in his profession and still lives in Ukraine, where he is among the country's very most well-known professional athletes. Regardless if he deals with once more, he undoubtedly will not do so much longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara as well as ends up being a champion in a 3rd divisionNot genuine. Garcia has actually outplayed the probabilities just before, including a shocking KO win over Amir Khan and a prevalent decision triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The first win elevated him to the upper echelon of the sport as well as the second glued that status.But the Matthysse match was 11 years back, however, as well as those two trademark Garcia wins went to 140 extra pounds (he additionally gained a headline at 147 extra pounds and moved up to 154 for a July 2022 draw Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still looking for a gain that matches that, as well as an upset success over Lara would match the bill.Garcia really did not be similar to the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision victory over Benavidez, and also he have not completed because. Right now, he'll move up another body weight lesson (though the Lara match is actually taking place at a catchweight in between 155 and 160 extra pounds) and must emulate ring inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight title fight versus Lara will be actually Garcia's 2nd because December 2020, when he was routed through Errol Spence Jr.The decide on right here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, also at 41, reveals tremendous electrical power, albeit against boxers under Garcia's level. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's battle versus Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, protects his uncontested super middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's leading superstar, have not scored a KO success considering that he smoothed Caleb Plant in a Nov 2021 battle to succeed the undisputed extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a knockdown in his last 3 fights. Against a competitor in Berlanga, that are going to be battling on the best degree for the very first time, Alvarez needs to incorporate the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been harmed in the ring before, particularly in a step-up fight against Marcelo Coceres, who lost him in Cycle 9. As well as his self defense isn't precisely sound. Berlanga has power (he started his occupation with 16 consecutive KO wins in the first round), and also if he selects to trade along with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez guaranteed as a lot at a set of news conferences today to promote the battle.-- Coppinger Real or not: No other lightweight champ can hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks an actual risk to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round win in June and also defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a large number selection to win the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in three of the 4 shots, while his breakout gain with Ramirez was just one of the best matches in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest planet light champion in past-- will be a difficulty for Lopez. Chirinho succeeded to get up from an uppercut from Espinoza in Round 1, prior to he was soon subdued. As a qualified, Chirinho had never been actually torn 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 final 3 rounds. Although he is not as skilled as Lopez, the quantity of hits he has included his last two fights, along with his height as well as arrive at advantages, could verify unbeatable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually looked unconvincing in latest battles, while we still need to view extra from Chip Ball before our experts proclaim him the branch's No. 1. Round (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight headline with a split choice win over Raymond Ford in June. That conquest followed a debatable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. Yet Espinoza would overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually disappointing versus Ball as well as has actually certainly not gained in almost two years, so it is challenging to show an argument for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the current ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in 8 rounds in a 3rd protection of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has conquered major difficulties in title matches, like boxing in a champ's home town and receiving slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he gains on Saturday against Angelo Leo, he might maybe experience his most significant problem but in a title unification match against Espinoza to dental crown the most effective boxer in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' resurgence has actually been simply a year after being stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, recent kind proposes his very first IBF abundant title defense will definitely end in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in top kind, a lot more so than any other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has actually had to restore his job, after suffering back-to-back choice losses to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua battled meticulously, along with a consentaneous choice sway Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, but in his last three fights, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF interim heavyweight champion after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Round 8. Usyk at that point relinquished the IBF waistband, which suggested Dubois was actually upgraded to complete champion, and so offers Joshua along with the possibility to become a three-time globe champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua will certainly try to exploit what Hrgovic had duplicated excellence with versus Dubois. Hrgovic frequently landed right hands on Dubois in the very early rounds, and also Joshua has displayed in latest battles exactly how damaging his right-hand men are after he damaged Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the former UFC big-time champ's jaw to knock him out cool. Joshua is going to take possession of the option if Dubois produces himself in a similar way readily available, as he carried out versus Hrgovic. Joshua is a greater puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois revealed sturdiness to soak up type June, he has been actually stopped two times (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk in 2014) as well as was actually floored 3 attend the first round through Kevin Lerena prior to bouncing back to gain in Cycle 3. Yet it is actually no walk in the playground for Joshua, that likewise needs to have to value Dubois' energy. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's skin as well as can likely manage a shock discontinuance versus Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. did in 2019. However Joshua, who concluded as champ from 2016 to 2019 and then coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually most likely to succeed this match by KO.-- Parkinson.