.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo in the main celebration of a Top Position on ESPN memory card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's last reduction was in May 2019 and he has won 14 consecutive matches since, consisting of remarkable success over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the greatest featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently refused a profitable battle against fellow lightweight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis as well as while he hasn't announced his retirement life, are going to our experts observe "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez are going to create his second ring look this year, yet certainly not versus the boxer supporters have actually clamored for. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will certainly deal with Edgar Berlanga, that is actually never ever combated at this degree in his quick job. While Berlanga possesses awesome electrical power-- he started his career with 16 successive first-round KOs-- may he find a means to win, or a minimum of go the range against Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua will definitely defend a title for the first time in 2 years. Joshua will experience IBF champ Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is actually chosen to come to be a three-time planet champion (-550 every ESPN WAGER). And also two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the ring for just the second time in just about 4 years to take on WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who gained belts at 140 and also 147 extra pounds, is actually moving up in weight for the opportunity to end up being a three-division champion, however can he disturb an older yet still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger as well as Chip Parkinson address these questions as well as additional, attempting to differentiate what's genuine and what is actually not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will certainly resign without an additional fightNot real ... for now. Lomachenko is reflecting upon retired life, resources said to ESPN, aspect of the explanation he decreased a beneficial fight with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually also a probability that Lomachenko will certainly return in the first half of 2025 to shield his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a battling state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson needed to be separated at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was viewed saying to Stevenson, "Let's go correct now.If that's any kind of indicator, Lomachenko will fight once again. Maybe even against Davis or Stevenson, the 2 most significant matches on the desk for him. But if he certainly never laces up the gloves once more, Lomachenko's heritage is secured. He is actually a three-division champion, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and also a mainstay of the pound-for-pound list over the final 10 years.He likewise does not need to have to overcome for the cash. He's earned millions of bucks in his job as well as still lives in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's most well-known professional athletes. Whether he deals with once again, he absolutely will not accomplish this much longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara and comes to be a champion in a third divisionNot true. Garcia has outplayed the chances prior to, featuring a shocking KO draw Amir Khan and a dominant decision success over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st win raised him to the top tier of the sport as well as the latter cemented that status.But the Matthysse match was 11 years back, however, and those 2 signature Garcia success went to 140 pounds (he also won a headline at 147 pounds and also moved up to 154 for a July 2022 gain Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still hunting for a gain that matches that, as well as a distressed victory over Lara would certainly accommodate the bill.Garcia failed to be similar to the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and also he have not competed given that. Right now, he'll go up yet another body weight course (though the Lara match is happening at a catchweight in between 155 and 160 pounds) and also have to emulate ring lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight title match versus Lara will definitely be actually Garcia's second since December 2020, when he was actually directed through Errol Spence Jr.The pick right here is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, also at 41, reveals significant power, albeit versus competitors beneath Garcia's level. Lara is actually riding a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's battle versus Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, guards his recognized very middleweight championship 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 triumph considering that he squashed Caleb Vegetation in a Nov 2021 match to gain the uncontested extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a knockdown in his final 3 matches. Versus a fighter in Berlanga, that will definitely be actually battling on the top degree for the first time, Alvarez must include the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been harmed in the ring before, such as in a step-up battle versus Marcelo Coceres, that lost him in Round 9. And his defense isn't exactly appear. Berlanga possesses electrical power (he started his occupation with 16 successive KO wins in the preliminary), and also if he decides on to exchange with Canelo, Alvarez needs to take him out.Alvarez assured as a lot at a pair of press conference recently to ensure the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: No other featherweight champ can hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks an actual threat to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round win in June and defeating Robeisy Ramirez through a bulk selection to gain the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in 3 of the four shots, while his outbreak win along with Ramirez was among the very best matches in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest globe featherweight champion in past history-- would be a challenge for Lopez. Chirinho flourished to get up from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Round 1, before he was soon overwhelmed. As a specialist, Chirinho had actually never been actually knocked down just before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza made a surprise in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the last 3 spheres. Although he is actually not as skilled as Lopez, the quantity of blows he has actually included his final two battles, along with his height and also get to advantages, could possibly confirm overwhelming for Lopez.Rey Vargas has appeared implausible in current fights, while our experts still need to have to observe much more coming from Nick Round just before our team proclaim him the branch's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight headline along with a split decision win over Raymond Ford in June. That triumph adhered to a controversial draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. Yet Espinoza would tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was frustrating versus Sphere as well as has not gained in almost pair of years, so it is actually difficult to present a debate for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in eight spheres in a 3rd self defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has overcome major problems in label battles, like punching in a champion's neighborhood as well as obtaining cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he wins on Sunday versus Angelo Leo, he may possibly experience his most significant obstacle but in a title unification match against Espinoza to crown the most ideal competitor in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel DuboisReal. As good as Dubois' rebirth has been simply a year after being actually dropped in Oleksandr Usyk, latest form advises his initial IBF abundant title self defense will finish in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in top form, extra so than any other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has must rebuild his profession, after experiencing back-to-back decision reductions to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua battled very carefully, along with an unanimous decision draw Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, but in his final 3 battles, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back coming from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting heavyweight champ after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk then gave up the IBF belt, which indicated Dubois was actually improved to total champ, and so offers Joshua along with the opportunity to end up being a three-time planet champ at Wembley Coliseum in London.Joshua will certainly make an effort to exploit what Hrgovic had actually redoed effectiveness along with against Dubois. Hrgovic continuously landed right hands on Dubois in the early rounds, and also Joshua has shown in current matches how destructive his right-hand men desire he damaged Ngannou in Around 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the former UFC big-time champion's face to take him out cool. Joshua will certainly confiscate the possibility if Dubois creates himself likewise accessible, as he carried out against Hrgovic. Joshua is a bigger puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois revealed resilience to absorb punches in June, he has actually been quit two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk in 2014) and was actually knocked down 3 attend the first round by Kevin Lerena before bouncing back to succeed in Round 3. However it is no walk in the park for Joshua, that likewise requires to value Dubois' energy. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's face as well as may potentially pull off a shock stop versus Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. But Joshua, who concluded as champion from 2016 to 2019 and then from 2019 to 2021, is actually most likely to win this match by KO.-- Parkinson.