.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo generally activity of a Leading Ranking 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 as well as he has actually gained 14 consecutive battles since, featuring exceptional victories over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the very best featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko lately refused a financially rewarding match versus fellow light-weight champ Gervonta "Container" Davis as well as while he have not revealed his retirement, are going to our company see "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will certainly create his second band look this year, however certainly not against the competitor fans have demanded. Instead of David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely deal with Edgar Berlanga, that is actually never ever battled at this level in his quick profession. While Berlanga has incredible electrical power-- he began his profession along with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can he find a method to gain, or at least go the distance versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua are going to defend a label for the first time in two years. Joshua is going to experience IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is preferred to become a three-time world champ (-550 every ESPN BET). And also two-division champ Danny Garcia comes back to the band for merely the 2nd attend practically four years to handle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that gained belts at 140 and also 147 extra pounds, is going up in weight for the chance to end up being a three-division champion, but may he disturb a much older but still powerful Lara?Mike Coppinger and Chip Parkinson address these questions as well as additional, trying to identify what's actual and what's not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will definitely retire without an additional fightNot genuine ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually reflecting upon retired life, resources informed ESPN, aspect of the factor he declined a rewarding battle with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually likewise an opportunity that Lomachenko will certainly come back in the 1st half of 2025 to safeguard his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a combating state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson needed to be divided at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was viewed saying to Stevenson, "Permit's go correct now.If that is actually any sort of indicator, Lomachenko will definitely combat once more. Perhaps even against Davis or Stevenson, the two greatest battles on the desk for him. But if he certainly never laces up the gloves once more, Lomachenko's tradition is actually protected. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and also a backbone of the pound-for-pound listing over the last 10 years.He also does not need to have to eliminate for the money. He's gained countless dollars in his career and also still lives in Ukraine, where he is just one of the country's very most prominent athletes. Regardless if he fights again, he absolutely won't do this 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 real. Garcia has upset the chances before, featuring a surprising KO draw Amir Khan and a dominant decision triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st gain elevated him to the higher echelon of the sport and the latter glued that status.But the Matthysse battle was 11 years ago, however, and those 2 signature Garcia wins went to 140 pounds (he likewise won a title at 147 pounds and also moved up to 154 for a July 2022 win over Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still searching for a win that matches that, and also a dismayed success over Lara would certainly fit the bill.Garcia really did not look like the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision victory over Benavidez, and also he hasn't competed considering that. Currently, he'll move up yet another weight course (though the Lara match is happening at a catchweight between 155 and 160 extra pounds) as well as need to contend with band sluggishness. The Sept. 14 middleweight title battle versus Lara are going to be actually Garcia's 2nd because December 2020, when he was directed by Errol Spence Jr.The choose listed here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, also at 41, reveals enormous power, albeit against boxers under Garcia's amount. Lara is riding a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's battle versus Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, protects his recognized very middleweight championship versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's best superstar, have not scored a KO success due to the fact that he flattened Caleb Plant in a Nov 2021 battle to win the uncontested incredibly middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually racked up a presentation in his last three matches. Against a boxer in Berlanga, who are going to be actually fighting on the best amount for the very first time, Alvarez should incorporate the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been actually harmed in the ring before, particularly in a step-up fight versus Marcelo Coceres, who fell him in Round 9. And his protection isn't specifically seem. Berlanga has power (he began his profession with 16 consecutive KO succeeds in the first round), and also if he chooses to trade along with Canelo, Alvarez needs to take him out.Alvarez guaranteed as a lot at a pair of press conference today to ensure the match.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: Not one other featherweight champion may hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a genuine threat to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June and also defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a large number choice to succeed the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in 3 of the four rounds, while his outbreak succeed with Ramirez was among the best fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest world lightweight champion in past-- would certainly be actually an obstacle for Lopez. Chirinho did well to get up from an uppercut from Espinoza in Round 1, just before he was actually soon subdued. As an expert, Chirinho had never ever been torn down just before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza produced a surprise in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the final three spheres. Although he is actually not as knowledgeable as Lopez, the amount of hits he has actually thrown in his last two battles, alongside his elevation and reach perks, could verify unbeatable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked implausible in latest battles, while our experts still need to have to view much more from Nick Sphere just before our team proclaim him the department's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight headline along with a split selection draw Raymond Ford in June. That conquest observed a controversial draw versus Vargas for the WBC headline in March. However Espinoza would certainly stand over 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was disappointing versus Sphere and has not gained in almost pair of years, so it is actually difficult to show an argument for him in his present form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after quiting Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a third protection of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has actually conquered large problems in title battles, like punching in a champ's neighborhood and getting cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he wins on Sunday against Angelo Leo, he might possibly encounter his largest obstacle however in a label unification fight versus Espinoza to dental crown the very best boxer in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua are going to KO Daniel DuboisReal. As good as Dubois' revival has been actually just a year after being dropped in Oleksandr Usyk, latest form recommends his first IBF abundant headline defense are going to end in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) remains in best type, extra thus than some other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has must reconstruct his occupation, after going through next selection reductions to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua combated very carefully, along with a consensual decision gain Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his final 3 fights, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and also Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned coming from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF interim big-time champ after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Round 8. Usyk at that point relinquished the IBF waistband, which suggested Dubois was actually updated to total champion, consequently shows Joshua with the opportunity to end up being a three-time globe champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will certainly try to exploit what Hrgovic had repeated results along with versus Dubois. Hrgovic consistently landed right hands on Dubois in the early spheres, and also Joshua has received latest matches just how damaging his right-hand men are after he destroyed Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the former UFC heavyweight champ's face to take him out cool. Joshua will seize the option if Dubois produces themself in a similar way offered, as he performed against Hrgovic. Joshua is a much bigger puncher than Hrgovic and also, although Dubois presented sturdiness to absorb type June, he has actually been actually ceased two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk last year) as well as was defeated three attend the preliminary through Kevin Lerena prior to recovering to win in Cycle 3. Yet it is actually no walk in the playground for Joshua, who additionally requires to respect Dubois' power. Dubois ruined Hrgovic's skin and also can likely pull off a shock stoppage against Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. But Joshua, that concluded as champion from 2016 to 2019 and after that from 2019 to 2021, is most likely to win this battle by KO.-- Parkinson.