.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo generally celebration of a Top Rank on ESPN memory card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final reduction remained in May 2019 and also he has won 14 consecutive fights because, consisting of impressive success over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the very best featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko lately refused a highly profitable battle versus fellow lightweight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis as well as while he hasn't announced his retirement life, will our team see "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely create his second band appearance this year, yet not against the boxer followers have actually demanded. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo will encounter Edgar Berlanga, that is actually never battled at this degree in his short profession. While Berlanga has amazing energy-- he started his job with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- may he discover a means to win, or even at least go the proximity against Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua will certainly defend a title for the first time in two years. Joshua will experience IBF champion Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is favored to come to be a three-time planet champion (-550 per ESPN BET). And also two-division champion Danny Garcia comes back to the ring for merely the 2nd time in just about 4 years to take on WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that won waistbands at 140 as well as 147 extra pounds, is actually going up in weight for the opportunity to end up being a three-division champ, but may he upset a more mature however still strong Lara?Mike Coppinger as well as Scar Parkinson address these inquiries as well as even more, trying to distinguish what's genuine and what's not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to resign without an additional fightNot actual ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is contemplating retirement, sources told ESPN, aspect of the explanation he declined a profitable fight along with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually additionally a possibility that Lomachenko will certainly return in the first one-half of 2025 to protect his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a combating mood Saturday in Los Angeles: he and Shakur Stevenson needed to be actually divided at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was actually viewed saying to Stevenson, "Permit's go right now.If that is actually any indication, Lomachenko will definitely deal with again. Maybe even against Davis or even Stevenson, the 2 most significant matches on the desk for him. However if he never ever shoelaces up the handwear covers once more, Lomachenko's tradition is protected. He is actually a three-division champ, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and also a backbone of the pound-for-pound listing over the last 10 years.He additionally does not need to eliminate for the cash. He is actually earned numerous bucks in his occupation and still lives in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's very most popular professional athletes. Whether he combats once again, he undoubtedly won't do so much longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and also comes to be a champ in a 3rd divisionNot true. Garcia has actually upset the odds before, consisting of a surprising KO draw Amir Khan and also a dominant choice success over Lucas Matthysse. The very first gain elevated him to the top echelon of the sporting activity as well as the latter cemented that status.But the Matthysse fight was 11 years back, though, and those pair of signature Garcia victories went to 140 pounds (he likewise gained a label at 147 pounds as well as 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 victory over Lara would match the bill.Garcia really did not look like the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision victory over Benavidez, and he have not competed considering that. Now, he'll go up yet another body weight lesson (though the Lara battle is actually taking place at a catchweight in between 155 and also 160 extra pounds) as well as need to contend with ring stagnation. The Sept. 14 middleweight label fight versus Lara will definitely be Garcia's 2nd considering that December 2020, when he was routed by Errol Spence Jr.The choose here is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, also at 41, presents tremendous electrical power, albeit versus fighters beneath Garcia's degree. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's fight against Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, guards his unquestioned tremendously middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's best star, have not scored a KO success because he smoothed Caleb Plant in a Nov 2021 match to succeed the uncontested super middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a presentation in his last three fights. Versus a boxer in Berlanga, that will be actually fighting on the leading level for the first time, Alvarez needs to incorporate the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been actually harmed in the ring before, namely in a step-up match versus Marcelo Coceres, who lost him in Round 9. And also his defense isn't exactly appear. Berlanga possesses electrical power (he started his job with 16 consecutive KO wins in the preliminary), and if he opts for to swap along with Canelo, Alvarez should take him out.Alvarez assured as much at a pair of news conferences recently to promote the match.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: No other light champion can beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a true threat to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June and also defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a majority selection to succeed the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in 3 of the four shots, while his breakout gain along with Ramirez was one of the very best matches in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest planet light champ in history-- will be actually a problem for Lopez. Chirinho prospered to stand up coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Around 1, prior to he was actually very soon overpowered. As a qualified, Chirinho had actually never been actually knocked down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza produced a surprise in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and also he outlanded him in the final three arounds. Although he is actually certainly not as expert as Lopez, the volume of blows he has included his final two fights, along with his elevation and also reach benefits, might show insurmountable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked implausible in recent battles, while our team still require to observe extra from Scar Sphere just before our company declare him the department's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight label along with a split choice win over Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment followed a questionable draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. Yet Espinoza will stand over 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually frustrating versus Ball and also has certainly not gained in nearly two years, so it is actually difficult to present a debate for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after quiting Reiya Abe in eight arounds in a third defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has actually conquered large difficulties in title battles, like boxing in a champ's neighborhood and obtaining cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he wins on Sunday versus Angelo Leo, he might maybe face his largest difficulty yet in a title unification battle against Espinoza to crown the most ideal boxer in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Comparable to Dubois' resurgence has actually been actually only a year after being dropped in Oleksandr Usyk, latest type proposes his first IBF heavyweight title defense will definitely end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in best form, extra therefore than some other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has actually had to rebuild his job, after experiencing next decision reductions to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua dealt with carefully, with a consentaneous selection win over Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his last three battles, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin as well as Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back coming from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF interim big-time champion after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk at that point gave up the IBF waistband, which indicated Dubois was actually improved to total champion, consequently offers Joshua along with the possibility to end up being a three-time globe champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua will definitely try to manipulate what Hrgovic had actually duplicated excellence with against Dubois. Hrgovic continually landed right-hand men on Dubois in the early spheres, and Joshua has actually shown in recent fights how destructive his right hands seek he damaged Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the previous UFC big-time champ's chin to knock him out chilly. Joshua is going to confiscate the opportunity if Dubois creates himself similarly on call, as he performed versus Hrgovic. Joshua is a bigger puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois showed toughness to soak up punches in June, he has actually been actually stopped twice (by Joe Joyce in 2020 as well as Usyk in 2014) and also was knocked down 3 times in the preliminary by Kevin Lerena before recovering to succeed in Round 3. However it is actually no walk in the park for Joshua, that additionally needs to value Dubois' power. Dubois pauperized Hrgovic's skin and also can potentially manage a shock stoppage versus Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. But Joshua, who concluded as champ coming from 2016 to 2019 and after that from 2019 to 2021, is more likely to win this match through KO.-- Parkinson.