.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo generally celebration of a Leading Position on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final loss remained in May 2019 and he has gained 14 successive battles considering that, including impressive triumphes over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently denied a beneficial battle versus fellow lightweight champ Gervonta "Container" Davis and also while he have not introduced his retired life, will definitely our company observe "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will certainly make his 2nd band appeal this year, but not against the fighter supporters have clamored for. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo will encounter Edgar Berlanga, who is actually certainly never combated at this amount in his brief profession. While Berlanga possesses astonishing electrical power-- he started his occupation with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- may he locate a method to gain, or even a minimum of go the range versus Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua are going to fight for a headline for the first time in pair of years. Joshua is going to face IBF champion Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is favored to end up being a three-time globe champion (-550 every ESPN BET). And also two-division champ Danny Garcia comes back to the ring for just the second attend nearly four years to handle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that won belts at 140 and also 147 extra pounds, is actually moving up in weight for the possibility to come to be a three-division champ, but can easily he upset an older yet still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and Chip Parkinson answer these questions and also even more, trying to differentiate what's genuine and also what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to resign without yet another fightNot genuine ... for now. Lomachenko is pondering retirement life, resources told ESPN, component of the cause he decreased a highly profitable fight along with Gervonta Davis in November. There's additionally an option that Lomachenko will come back in the first one-half of 2025 to shield his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a combating state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson must be split at ringside during the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was actually observed saying to Stevenson, "Allow's go best now.If that is actually any type of indicator, Lomachenko will deal with again. Maybe even versus Davis or Stevenson, the two biggest matches on the desk for him. Yet if he certainly never laces up the handwear covers again, Lomachenko's legacy is actually gotten. He is actually a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer as well as a pillar of the pound-for-pound listing over the last 10 years.He likewise does not require to overcome for the cash. He's made millions of dollars in his profession and also still lives in Ukraine, where he is just one of the nation's most preferred professional athletes. Regardless if he fights once more, he certainly won't accomplish this much longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara as well as ends up being a champ in a third divisionNot real. Garcia has actually outplayed the odds prior to, consisting of an astonishing KO gain Amir Khan and a dominant decision success over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st gain raised him to the higher echelon of the sporting activity and also the last sealed that status.But the Matthysse fight was 11 years earlier, however, as well as those pair of signature Garcia wins went to 140 extra pounds (he likewise won a label at 147 pounds as well as went up to 154 for a July 2022 get Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still seeking a win that matches that, and also a distressed victory over Lara will suit the bill.Garcia failed to resemble the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, as well as he hasn't competed due to the fact that. Right now, he'll go up yet another weight training class (though the Lara match is taking place at a catchweight between 155 and 160 pounds) as well as have to emulate ring stagnation. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline fight against Lara will definitely be Garcia's second because December 2020, when he was actually routed by Errol Spence Jr.The choose below is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, even at 41, presents enormous power, albeit versus fighters below Garcia's level. Lara is actually riding a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's battle against Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, shields his recognized very middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's leading star, hasn't racked up a KO victory because he flattened Caleb Vegetation in a Nov 2021 fight to gain the undeniable incredibly middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a presentation in his last three fights. Versus a fighter in Berlanga, who will definitely be actually dealing with on the best level for the first time, Alvarez needs to include the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been hurt in the ring before, such as in a step-up fight versus Marcelo Coceres, who fell him in Round 9. And also his defense isn't precisely sound. Berlanga possesses electrical power (he started his career with 16 successive KO succeeds in the first round), and also if he selects to trade along with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez vowed as a lot at a set of news conferences recently to promote the battle.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: No other lightweight champ may hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks an actual danger to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June and defeating Robeisy Ramirez through a bulk selection to succeed the WBO headline in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in 3 of the 4 shots, while his escapement gain along with Ramirez was among the very best battles in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest planet lightweight champ in record-- would certainly be actually a difficulty for Lopez. Chirinho succeeded to get up coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Around 1, prior to he was soon overwhelmed. As an expert, Chirinho had actually never been torn down just before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza generated a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the final 3 arounds. Although he is actually not as knowledgeable as Lopez, the volume of strikes he has thrown in his last 2 matches, in addition to his height and reach conveniences, might show unbeatable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked unconvincing in latest fights, while we still require to see extra coming from Nick Sphere prior to our experts declare him the department's No. 1. Round (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight headline along with a split selection gain Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment complied with a debatable draw versus Vargas for the WBC headline in March. But Espinoza will tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was unsatisfactory versus Sphere and also has not won in nearly 2 years, so it is actually hard to provide an argument 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 gotten over large problems in headline fights, like punching in a champion's hometown as well as obtaining slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he gains on Saturday versus Angelo Leo, he may probably experience his biggest difficulty however in a label unification match versus Espinoza to crown the most effective fighter in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will certainly KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' revival has actually been simply a year after being come by Oleksandr Usyk, recent form recommends his first IBF abundant title defense will certainly finish in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in top type, much more therefore than every other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has needed to fix his job, after experiencing next decision losses to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua fought cautiously, along with a consensual decision draw Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his last 3 matches, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and also 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 gave up the IBF belt, which suggested Dubois was actually improved to complete champion, consequently offers Joshua with the possibility to become a three-time globe champ at Wembley Coliseum in London.Joshua will make an effort to exploit what Hrgovic had repeated success along with versus Dubois. Hrgovic consistently landed right-hand men on Dubois in the early arounds, and also Joshua has shown in recent battles how destructive his right hands are after he ruined Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the former UFC heavyweight champion's chin to take him out cold. Joshua will certainly take the opportunity if Dubois creates themself similarly accessible, as he performed against Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a much bigger puncher than Hrgovic and also, although Dubois revealed durability to absorb type June, he has been actually quit twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk in 2015) and was knocked down three attend the first round through Kevin Lerena just before recovering to gain in Round 3. Yet it is no walk in the park for Joshua, who additionally needs to value Dubois' electrical power. Dubois ruined Hrgovic's skin and can potentially carry out a surprise standstill against Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. However Joshua, who concluded as champ coming from 2016 to 2019 and then coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually more likely to win this match through KO.-- Parkinson.