.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo in the main occasion 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 final loss resided in May 2019 and he has succeeded 14 successive battles given that, consisting of outstanding victories over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the greatest featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently declined a lucrative match against fellow light-weight champion Gervonta "Container" Davis as well as while he hasn't announced his retired life, will definitely our company find "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez are going to create his 2nd band appearance this year, yet certainly not against the competitor enthusiasts have actually demanded. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo is going to face Edgar Berlanga, who's never ever combated at this amount in his short job. While Berlanga possesses extraordinary electrical power-- he started his career along with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can he find a method to gain, or at the very least go the distance versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will certainly fight for a label for the first time in two years. Joshua will certainly encounter IBF champ Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is actually chosen to become a three-time planet champion (-550 every ESPN BET). And also two-division champion Danny Garcia comes back to the ring for only the 2nd attend virtually four years to handle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that gained waistbands at 140 and also 147 extra pounds, is moving up in body weight for the possibility to become a three-division champ, yet may he disturb an older however still strong Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Chip Parkinson answer these inquiries and also even more, trying to differentiate what's true and also what's not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko will certainly resign without yet another fightNot genuine ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually reflecting upon retired life, resources said to ESPN, component of the explanation he declined a lucrative fight along with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually also an opportunity that Lomachenko will come back in the initial one-half of 2025 to defend his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a battling mood Sunday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson needed to be actually separated at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was seen saying to Stevenson, "Let's go right now.If that's any sort of evidence, Lomachenko will combat once again. Maybe even against Davis or even Stevenson, the two largest fights on the desk for him. But if he never ever laces up the handwear covers again, Lomachenko's heritage is actually secured. He's a three-division champion, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and also an essential of the pound-for-pound checklist over the last 10 years.He likewise doesn't need to have to overcome for the cash. He is actually made countless dollars in his occupation and still resides in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's most prominent professional athletes. Regardless if he battles once more, he surely will not do this a lot longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara and becomes a champ in a third divisionNot actual. Garcia has outplayed the chances prior to, consisting of a surprising KO win over Amir Khan as well as a leading selection success over Lucas Matthysse. The initial win lifted him to the higher tier of the sporting activity and also the second glued that status.But the Matthysse match was actually 11 years back, though, as well as those 2 trademark Garcia success went to 140 extra pounds (he additionally won a title at 147 pounds as well as went 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 dismayed victory over Lara would fit the bill.Garcia really did not resemble the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, and also he hasn't competed given that. Currently, he'll go up an additional weight lesson (though the Lara match is actually occurring at a catchweight between 155 and 160 pounds) as well as must contend with band sluggishness. The Sept. 14 middleweight title match versus Lara are going to be actually Garcia's 2nd considering that December 2020, when he was routed through Errol Spence Jr.The select here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, also at 41, shows significant energy, albeit versus competitors beneath Garcia's degree. Lara is actually riding a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's fight versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, protects his unquestioned very middleweight championship versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu through Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's leading celebrity, have not racked up a KO success because he smoothed Caleb Plant in a Nov 2021 match to succeed the unquestioned extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has scored a presentation in his final 3 fights. Against a boxer in Berlanga, that will certainly be actually battling on the best degree for the first time, Alvarez must incorporate the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been actually harmed in the band in the past, particularly in a step-up battle versus Marcelo Coceres, that dropped him in Round 9. As well as his self defense isn't exactly sound. Berlanga possesses electrical power (he started his career with 16 consecutive KO wins in the preliminary), as well as if he selects to swap along with Canelo, Alvarez needs to take him out.Alvarez assured as a lot at a pair of news conferences recently to ensure the battle.-- Coppinger Real or not: Not one other featherweight champion may beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a true danger to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June as well as defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a majority choice to succeed the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in 3 of the four shots, while his outbreak win along with Ramirez was among the very best matches in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest globe lightweight champ in background-- will be an obstacle for Lopez. Chirinho flourished to get out of bed coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Round 1, just before he was soon overpowered. As an expert, Chirinho had never been knocked down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza produced a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the final 3 rounds. Although he is certainly not as knowledgeable as Lopez, the quantity of hits he has thrown in his last 2 fights, in addition to his elevation and hit benefits, could confirm overwhelming for Lopez.Rey Vargas has appeared implausible in latest matches, while our team still need to have to see much more coming from Nick Ball before our company declare him the division's No. 1. Sphere (20-0-1, 11 KOs) grabbed the WBA featherweight headline with a split selection gain Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment complied with a questionable draw versus Vargas for the WBC headline in March. However Espinoza would stand over 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually frustrating versus Round and also has actually certainly not succeeded in nearly pair of years, so it is actually challenging to offer a disagreement for him in his existing form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the current ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in 8 rounds in a 3rd protection of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has gotten rid of huge difficulties in headline matches, like boxing in a champion's neighborhood and also getting slice early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he wins on Saturday against Angelo Leo, he may possibly experience his biggest challenge yet in a headline marriage battle against Espinoza to dental crown the greatest competitor in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' rebirth has been only a year after being actually dropped in Oleksandr Usyk, latest form recommends his 1st IBF heavyweight headline protection will definitely finish in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in best form, a lot more thus than any other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has needed to rebuild his job, after suffering next selection reductions to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua combated cautiously, along with a consentaneous decision win over Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, but in his final 3 battles, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin as well as Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned coming from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF interim big-time champion after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk then relinquished the IBF belt, which meant Dubois was actually updated to total champion, therefore shows Joshua with the option to come to be a three-time globe champ at Wembley Coliseum in London.Joshua will attempt to exploit what Hrgovic had actually duplicated effectiveness with versus Dubois. Hrgovic continuously landed right hands on Dubois in the very early arounds, as well as Joshua has displayed in recent battles just how destructive his right hands desire he ruined Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the previous UFC big-time champ's jaw to knock him out cool. Joshua is going to seize the possibility if Dubois produces himself likewise readily available, as he performed versus Hrgovic. Joshua is a larger puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois revealed resilience to take in punches in June, he has been actually ceased twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk last year) and was actually knocked down 3 times in the preliminary by Kevin Lerena just before recuperating to win in Round 3. But it is no stroll in the playground for Joshua, that additionally requires to value Dubois' energy. Dubois made a mess of Hrgovic's face as well as may likely carry out a surprise blockage against Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. But Joshua, that concluded as champion coming from 2016 to 2019 and after that from 2019 to 2021, is most likely to win this fight through KO.-- Parkinson.