.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo in the main event of a Best Ranking on ESPN memory card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final loss resided in May 2019 and also he has actually gained 14 successive fights due to the fact that, consisting of remarkable triumphes over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the very best featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently declined a rewarding fight against fellow lightweight champ Gervonta "Container" Davis as well as while he hasn't announced his retired life, will definitely our team observe "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez are going to create his second ring appeal this year, yet certainly not against the boxer enthusiasts have clamored for. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo is going to experience Edgar Berlanga, who's never dealt with at this degree in his short occupation. While Berlanga has amazing electrical power-- he started his profession with 16 successive first-round KOs-- may he locate a method to succeed, or a minimum of go the proximity versus Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua will defend a label for the first time in pair of years. Joshua will definitely face IBF champ Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is chosen to become a three-time world champion (-550 every ESPN WAGER). And also two-division champion Danny Garcia comes back to the ring for simply the second time in nearly 4 years to tackle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who won belts at 140 and 147 pounds, is going up in weight for the odds to come to be a three-division champion, however can he upset an older yet still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger as well as Nick Parkinson respond to these questions and also more, trying to distinguish what's true as well as what's not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will retire without another fightNot true ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually contemplating retirement life, resources told ESPN, portion of the cause he decreased a beneficial battle with Gervonta Davis in November. There's likewise a possibility that Lomachenko are going to return in the initial half of 2025 to defend his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a dealing with state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he and Shakur Stevenson needed to be divided at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was actually seen saying to Stevenson, "Let's go appropriate now.If that is actually any kind of indication, Lomachenko will combat again. Perhaps even against Davis or even Stevenson, both most significant battles on the desk for him. However if he certainly never laces up the handwear covers once again, Lomachenko's tradition is actually secured. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and a pillar of the pound-for-pound checklist over the last 10 years.He additionally doesn't need to have to overcome for the money. He's gotten millions of dollars in his job as well as still stays in Ukraine, where he is just one of the nation's very most well-liked professional athletes. Whether he deals with once again, he certainly will not accomplish this much longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara as well as ends up being a champion in a 3rd divisionNot actual. Garcia has upset the odds just before, including a shocking KO win over Amir Khan as well as a dominant decision triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The initial gain raised him to the upper tier of the sport and also the second sealed that status.But the Matthysse fight was actually 11 years back, however, as well as those two signature Garcia success went to 140 pounds (he additionally succeeded a title at 147 extra pounds and moved up to 154 for a July 2022 draw Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still looking for a win that matches that, and an upset victory over Lara will accommodate the bill.Garcia failed to look like the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and he have not competed due to the fact that. Right now, he'll move up another body weight class (though the Lara fight is actually occurring at a catchweight between 155 as well as 160 extra pounds) and need to contend with band lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight label match against Lara will be Garcia's 2nd given that December 2020, when he was routed through Errol Spence Jr.The pick below is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, even at 41, shows tremendous energy, albeit versus fighters beneath Garcia's degree. Lara is riding a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's battle against Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, defends his recognized very middleweight champion versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's top celebrity, hasn't scored a KO victory since he squashed Caleb Vegetation in a November 2021 battle to succeed the indisputable extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually racked up a presentation in his final three fights. Versus a competitor in Berlanga, that will be actually fighting on the leading level for the first time, Alvarez needs to add the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been hurt in the ring before, specifically in a step-up match versus Marcelo Coceres, who lost him in Round 9. And his self defense isn't exactly seem. Berlanga has power (he started his profession along with 16 consecutive KO succeeds in the preliminary), and also if he picks to exchange with Canelo, Alvarez should take him out.Alvarez assured as a lot at a set of press conference recently to market the match.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: No other featherweight champ may beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears an actual hazard to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round win in June and also beating Robeisy Ramirez by a bulk selection to succeed the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in 3 of the 4 rounds, while his escapement win with Ramirez was one of the most effective fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest world featherweight champion in background-- would be an obstacle for Lopez. Chirinho succeeded to stand up from an uppercut from Espinoza in Around 1, prior to he was soon overpowered. As an expert, Chirinho had certainly never been actually brought down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza generated a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the last 3 arounds. Although he is actually certainly not as seasoned as Lopez, the volume of strikes he has actually included his final pair of matches, along with his elevation and arrive at perks, might verify impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has appeared unconvincing in current matches, while our company still need to view extra from Scar Sphere just before our experts declare him the division's No. 1. Sphere (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight headline with a split selection gain Raymond Ford in June. That victory followed a controversial draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. However Espinoza would certainly tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was unsatisfactory versus Round as well as has certainly not succeeded in almost pair of years, so it is difficult to offer a debate for him in his existing form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in 8 rounds in a third self defense of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has actually gotten over big problems in headline fights, like punching in a champion's home town and acquiring slice early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he gains on Saturday against Angelo Leo, he might possibly encounter his most significant obstacle however in a title marriage battle against Espinoza to crown the most effective fighter in the branch.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' resurgence has actually been just a year after being actually visited Oleksandr Usyk, current form proposes his 1st IBF abundant label defense will certainly end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in top form, much more therefore than any other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has actually must fix his profession, after experiencing next decision losses to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua fought carefully, with a consensual decision gain Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his final 3 matches, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF acting big-time champ after he stopped Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk after that relinquished the IBF belt, which meant Dubois was improved to total champion, and so offers Joshua with the chance to become a three-time planet champ at Wembley Coliseum in London.Joshua will certainly make an effort to exploit what Hrgovic had actually duplicated success with against Dubois. Hrgovic continually landed right hands on Dubois in the early rounds, as well as Joshua has displayed in current matches exactly how destructive his right-hand men seek he destroyed Ngannou in Around 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the past UFC big-time champ's chin to take him out cold. Joshua will confiscate the chance if Dubois makes themself likewise available, as he carried out against Hrgovic. Joshua is a much bigger puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois presented sturdiness to soak up type June, he has actually been actually quit two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 as well as Usyk in 2014) and also was actually defeated 3 attend the preliminary through Kevin Lerena before bouncing back to win in Cycle 3. Yet it is no walk in the park for Joshua, who likewise needs to value Dubois' electrical power. Dubois made a mess of Hrgovic's skin and also can potentially pull off a shock blockage versus Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. However Joshua, who concluded as champion from 2016 to 2019 and after that coming from 2019 to 2021, is very likely to gain this battle through KO.-- Parkinson.