.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo generally activity of a Leading Rank on ESPN memory 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 actually won 14 consecutive battles because, consisting of impressive victories over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko lately denied a financially rewarding match against fellow light in weight champ Gervonta "Tank" Davis and while he hasn't introduced his retirement life, are going to our experts observe "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will certainly make his 2nd ring appeal this year, but not against the competitor fans have clamored for. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely experience Edgar Berlanga, who's never combated at this amount in his brief career. While Berlanga possesses unbelievable power-- he started his occupation with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can he find a means to gain, or a minimum of go the range versus Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua will definitely fight for a title for the very first time in pair of years. Joshua will definitely deal with IBF champ Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is preferred to end up being a three-time globe champ (-550 every ESPN WAGER). And two-division champ Danny Garcia returns to the band for merely the second attend almost four years to tackle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who gained waistbands at 140 and 147 extra pounds, is going up in body weight for the possibility to become a three-division champ, however can easily he distress an older but still strong Lara?Mike Coppinger and Scar Parkinson respond to these concerns as well as more, trying to differentiate what's actual as well as what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to resign without an additional fightNot actual ... for now. Lomachenko is actually contemplating retirement, resources informed ESPN, portion of the explanation he dropped a highly profitable battle along with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There's also a possibility that Lomachenko will definitely come back in the initial fifty percent of 2025 to shield his IBF light-weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a fighting mood Saturday in Los Angeles: he and Shakur Stevenson needed to be actually split at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was actually viewed telling Stevenson, "Allow's go appropriate now.If that is actually any kind of indicator, Lomachenko will certainly battle once again. Maybe even against Davis or even Stevenson, the two biggest matches on the table for him. However if he never shoelaces up the gloves once again, Lomachenko's tradition is actually gotten. He's a three-division champion, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and also an essential of the pound-for-pound checklist over the last 10 years.He also does not need to eliminate for the cash. He's made countless bucks in his occupation and also still dwells in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's most well-known sportsmens. Whether he combats again, he absolutely will not do this a lot longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara and becomes a champion in a third divisionNot true. Garcia has outplayed the odds before, featuring a shocking KO win over Amir Khan as well as a prevalent decision success over Lucas Matthysse. The first win raised him to the higher echelon of the sporting activity as well as the latter cemented that status.But the Matthysse match was 11 years ago, however, and also those 2 trademark Garcia triumphes went to 140 extra pounds (he also gained a title at 147 extra pounds and moved up to 154 for a July 2022 get Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still hunting for a win that matches that, and a dismayed triumph over Lara would certainly fit the bill.Garcia didn't resemble the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and also he have not competed due to the fact that. Right now, he'll go up an additional weight class (though the Lara match is happening at a catchweight in between 155 as well as 160 extra pounds) as well as must emulate ring stagnation. The Sept. 14 middleweight label fight versus Lara will definitely be Garcia's 2nd due to the fact that December 2020, when he was routed by Errol Spence Jr.The choose listed below is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, even at 41, presents significant energy, albeit against boxers below Garcia's amount. Lara is using a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's fight versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, shields his undeniable extremely middleweight champion versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's top superstar, have not scored a KO triumph considering that he squashed Caleb Vegetation in a Nov 2021 battle to succeed the recognized extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has scored a knockdown in his last 3 battles. Versus a fighter in Berlanga, who will certainly be actually dealing with on the top level for the very first time, Alvarez needs to incorporate the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been actually hurt in the ring before, such as in a step-up battle versus Marcelo Coceres, that fell him in Cycle 9. And also his defense isn't precisely sound. Berlanga has energy (he began his profession along with 16 consecutive KO gains in the preliminary), and also if he decides on to exchange along with Canelo, Alvarez ought to take him out.Alvarez promised as a lot at a set of press conference recently to advertise the fight.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: Nothing else light champ may hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears an actual danger to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June and also beating Robeisy Ramirez by a majority choice to gain the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in three of the 4 shots, while his escapement win along with Ramirez was just one of the best fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest world light champ in background-- would be a challenge for Lopez. Chirinho prospered to get up from an uppercut from Espinoza in Sphere 1, just before he was actually quickly overpowered. As a specialist, Chirinho had actually never ever been brought down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza made a surprise in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and also he outlanded him in the last 3 arounds. Although he is actually not as knowledgeable as Lopez, the volume of strikes he has actually included his final two battles, alongside his height as well as hit advantages, can confirm impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked unconvincing in recent matches, while our team still need to see extra coming from Chip Round before our experts proclaim him the branch's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight headline with a split decision gain Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment observed a controversial draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. However Espinoza would certainly stand over 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually frustrating versus Round and also has certainly not won in nearly 2 years, so it is tough to offer a debate for him in his existing form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in eight arounds in a 3rd protection of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has beat huge challenges in title battles, like boxing in a champ's neighborhood and also obtaining slice early (vs. Josh Warrington), and also if he succeeds on Sunday versus Angelo Leo, he may perhaps encounter his greatest challenge however in a headline marriage battle against Espinoza to dental crown the most ideal competitor in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' rebirth has actually been merely a year after being visited Oleksandr Usyk, current type advises his very first IBF heavyweight label defense will definitely finish in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in top form, extra therefore than some other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has actually had to restore his job, after going through back-to-back choice losses to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua battled meticulously, along with a consentaneous selection draw Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his final 3 fights, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and also Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting heavyweight champion after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Round 8. Usyk then gave up the IBF waistband, which implied Dubois was updated to total champion, and so presents Joshua along with the possibility to end up being a three-time world champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua will definitely attempt to exploit what Hrgovic had actually repeated effectiveness along with against Dubois. Hrgovic consistently landed right-hand men on Dubois in the very early arounds, and also Joshua has actually received recent matches just how damaging his right-hand men seek he destroyed Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the past UFC heavyweight champ's chin to knock him out cold. Joshua is going to take the possibility if Dubois produces themself similarly on call, as he carried out versus Hrgovic. Joshua is a larger puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois revealed sturdiness to absorb type June, he has actually been stopped two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk last year) and also was floored three attend the preliminary through Kevin Lerena prior to recuperating to win in Round 3. However it is actually no stroll in the park for Joshua, that also needs to value Dubois' energy. Dubois ruined Hrgovic's face and also can possibly manage a shock blockage against Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. However Joshua, that ruled as champion coming from 2016 to 2019 and after that coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually very likely to win this battle through KO.-- Parkinson.