.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt against Angelo Leo in the main celebration of a Top Rank on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's last loss was in May 2019 and also he has gained 14 successive matches considering that, featuring remarkable success over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the best featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently denied a profitable fight versus fellow light in weight champ Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis and while he hasn't introduced his retirement, are going to our company observe "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely create his second ring appeal this year, yet not against the fighter supporters have actually clamored for. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will face Edgar Berlanga, that's never fought at this amount in his brief occupation. While Berlanga possesses astonishing power-- he started his occupation with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can easily he discover a means to succeed, or even at the very least go the range versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua are going to fight for a headline for the very first time in pair of years. Joshua will definitely deal with IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually preferred to become a three-time globe champ (-550 per ESPN WAGER). And also two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the band for just the second attend virtually 4 years to tackle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who gained belts at 140 as well as 147 extra pounds, is going up in body weight for the possibility to come to be a three-division champ, however may he distress a much older however still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger as well as Chip Parkinson address these inquiries and even more, making an effort to distinguish what's true and what is actually not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to retire without an additional fightNot actual ... in the meantime. Lomachenko is pondering retired life, sources informed ESPN, portion of the factor he declined a beneficial match along with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually also a possibility that Lomachenko will come back in the 1st fifty percent of 2025 to shield 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 must be actually separated at ringside during the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was viewed telling Stevenson, "Let's go correct now.If that is actually any evidence, Lomachenko will definitely fight again. Maybe even versus Davis or even Stevenson, both largest matches on the table for him. But if he certainly never laces up the handwear covers once again, Lomachenko's legacy is actually safeguarded. He is actually a three-division champ, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and also a pillar of the pound-for-pound checklist over the last 10 years.He likewise doesn't require to combat for the cash. He is actually earned countless bucks in his job as well as still lives in Ukraine, where he is among the country's most popular professional athletes. Regardless if he fights once again, he surely won't do so a lot longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and also becomes a champ in a third divisionNot actual. Garcia has outplayed the possibilities prior to, consisting of a stunning KO draw Amir Khan and a prevalent decision victory over Lucas Matthysse. The initial gain raised him to the upper echelon of the sporting activity as well as the second bound that status.But the Matthysse match was 11 years earlier, however, and also those pair of signature Garcia success were at 140 pounds (he also gained a title at 147 extra pounds and went up to 154 for a July 2022 draw Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still searching for a gain that matches that, and also a dismayed success over Lara will accommodate the bill.Garcia didn't look like the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, as well as he have not contended due to the fact that. Now, he'll move up an additional body weight lesson (though the Lara fight is actually happening at a catchweight in between 155 as well as 160 extra pounds) and also need to contend with band inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline battle versus Lara will be actually Garcia's 2nd due to the fact that December 2020, when he was directed through Errol Spence Jr.The select here is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, also at 41, presents remarkable energy, albeit versus boxers below Garcia's degree. Lara is actually riding a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's match versus Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, defends his uncontested super middleweight championship versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's best star, hasn't scored a KO triumph given that he flattened Caleb Plant in a November 2021 match to gain the indisputable super middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a presentation in his final three battles. Versus a competitor in Berlanga, who are going to be actually combating on the leading level for the very first time, Alvarez must incorporate the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been actually injured in the ring previously, namely in a step-up match against Marcelo Coceres, that lost him in Cycle 9. As well as his self defense isn't exactly appear. Berlanga possesses power (he started his career with 16 successive KO wins in the preliminary), and if he chooses to exchange with Canelo, Alvarez ought to take him out.Alvarez promised as much at a set of news conferences this week to market the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: Not one other featherweight champion can hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a genuine hazard to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June and also defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a large number selection to succeed the WBO headline in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in 3 of the 4 shots, while his outbreak succeed with Ramirez was among the best fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest globe featherweight champ in past history-- would certainly be a problem for Lopez. Chirinho prospered to stand up from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Sphere 1, just before he was actually soon overwhelmed. As a professional, Chirinho had never been actually torn down prior to Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza generated a surprise in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the last 3 rounds. Although he is actually not as knowledgeable as Lopez, the amount of hits he has actually thrown in his final two battles, along with his elevation and also arrive at perks, might confirm impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked implausible in recent matches, while our experts still need to find a lot more from Chip Ball prior to our company announce him the department's No. 1. Round (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight title with a split choice draw Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment followed a disputable draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. Yet Espinoza would overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually unsatisfactory versus Ball as well as has actually not won in virtually two years, so it is actually tough to provide a debate for him in his existing form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in 8 arounds in a 3rd self defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has actually eliminated big obstacles in headline battles, like punching in a champion's hometown as well as receiving cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he gains on Saturday versus Angelo Leo, he may possibly face his most significant obstacle but in a label marriage battle versus Espinoza to crown the most ideal competitor in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will certainly KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' resurgence has actually been actually merely a year after being actually stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, recent type suggests his 1st IBF heavyweight headline defense will finish in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) remains in leading kind, a lot more so than some other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has actually must restore his job, after suffering back-to-back choice losses to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua battled carefully, with an unanimous decision sway Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his final three fights, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF interim big-time champ after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk after that relinquished the IBF belt, which indicated Dubois was actually upgraded to complete champion, consequently provides Joshua along with the opportunity to end up being a three-time globe champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua will make an effort to exploit what Hrgovic had repeated results along with against Dubois. Hrgovic constantly landed right-hand men on Dubois in the very early arounds, as well as Joshua has shown in recent fights exactly how harmful his right-hand men desire he destroyed Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the previous UFC heavyweight champion's face to take him out chilly. Joshua will definitely take the opportunity if Dubois creates themself similarly accessible, as he performed against Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a greater puncher than Hrgovic and also, although Dubois presented sturdiness to soak up punches in June, he has actually been actually quit two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 as well as Usyk in 2013) as well as was defeated three attend the first round by Kevin Lerena before bouncing back to win in Cycle 3. Yet it is actually no walk in the playground for Joshua, who likewise needs to value Dubois' electrical power. Dubois made a mess of Hrgovic's skin as well as can likely manage a surprise interruption against Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. But Joshua, that ruled as champion coming from 2016 to 2019 and after that from 2019 to 2021, is actually more probable to succeed this battle through KO.-- Parkinson.