.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband against Angelo Leo in the main celebration of a Top Ranking on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's last reduction resided in May 2019 and he has actually succeeded 14 consecutive matches due to the fact that, including impressive success over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the very best featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko lately declined a profitable match against fellow light in weight champ Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis and also while he have not introduced his retirement life, will definitely our team find "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely create his second band look this year, but certainly not versus the competitor supporters have demanded. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo is going to face Edgar Berlanga, who is actually certainly never dealt with at this level in his brief profession. While Berlanga has awesome power-- he began his occupation with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can easily he find a method to gain, or even at least go the proximity against Alvarez?Former abundant champ Anthony Joshua will certainly fight for a headline for the first time in two years. Joshua will encounter IBF champ Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is favored to come to be a three-time globe champion (-550 per ESPN BET). And also two-division champion Danny Garcia comes back to the ring for simply the second time in virtually four years to take on WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who gained waistbands at 140 and 147 extra pounds, is actually going up in weight for the odds to become a three-division champ, however can he upset a more mature yet still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and Scar Parkinson respond to these inquiries and also more, trying to distinguish what's real as well as what's not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will certainly retire without one more fightNot actual ... for now. Lomachenko is reflecting upon retirement life, resources informed ESPN, portion of the explanation he decreased a rewarding fight along with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There's likewise an opportunity that Lomachenko will return in the first one-half of 2025 to safeguard his IBF light-weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a combating mood Sunday in Los Angeles: he and Shakur Stevenson had to be separated at ringside during the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was viewed saying to Stevenson, "Allow's go ideal now.If that is actually any type of sign, Lomachenko will certainly battle again. Maybe even versus Davis or Stevenson, the two most significant battles on the table for him. However if he certainly never laces up the gloves once more, Lomachenko's tradition is protected. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Venue of Famer as well as a backbone of the pound-for-pound checklist over the last 10 years.He likewise doesn't need to have to combat for the cash. He is actually gotten numerous dollars in his career as well as still dwells in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's very most preferred sportsmens. Whether or not he battles once again, he surely will not do this much longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara as well as becomes a champion in a 3rd divisionNot actual. Garcia has upset the possibilities just before, featuring a surprising KO gain Amir Khan as well as a leading selection success over Lucas Matthysse. The first win raised him to the top tier of the sport and the second cemented that status.But the Matthysse match was 11 years earlier, though, and those 2 signature Garcia victories were at 140 pounds (he also gained a title at 147 extra pounds as well as went up to 154 for a July 2022 win over Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still looking for a gain that matches that, as well as a dismayed triumph over Lara would fit the bill.Garcia didn't be similar to the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision victory over Benavidez, and also he hasn't completed because. Now, he'll go up yet another weight course (though the Lara fight is taking place at a catchweight in between 155 and also 160 extra pounds) and need to emulate ring stagnation. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline fight versus Lara will certainly be actually Garcia's second considering that December 2020, when he was actually directed through Errol Spence Jr.The decide on right here is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, presents enormous electrical power, albeit versus competitors below Garcia's degree. Lara is riding a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's fight versus Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, protects his undeniable very middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's top superstar, have not racked up a KO success because he flattened Caleb Plant in a November 2021 battle to win the uncontested super middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has racked up a knockdown in his last 3 battles. Against a boxer in Berlanga, who will definitely be dealing with on the leading degree for the first time, Alvarez needs to include the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been actually harmed in the ring previously, specifically in a step-up fight versus Marcelo Coceres, that dropped him in Round 9. And also his protection isn't precisely appear. Berlanga possesses energy (he started his occupation with 16 consecutive KO gains in the first round), and if he decides on to swap with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez assured as a lot at a set of news conferences this week to market the battle.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: Nothing else light champion can easily hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a real hazard to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round win in June and also beating Robeisy Ramirez through a majority choice to succeed the WBO label in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in three of the 4 rounds, while his breakout gain with Ramirez was just one of the very best matches in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest planet lightweight champion in past history-- will be a difficulty for Lopez. Chirinho prospered to rise from an uppercut from Espinoza in Round 1, before he was soon overthrown. As an expert, Chirinho had actually never been actually torn down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza made a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the last three spheres. Although he is actually not as knowledgeable as Lopez, the amount of blows he has thrown in his last 2 matches, together with his elevation as well as hit benefits, could possibly prove impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has appeared implausible in recent battles, while our experts still need to see much more from Chip Round before we proclaim him the division's No. 1. Round (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight headline with a split choice get Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment followed a debatable draw versus Vargas for the WBC headline in March. However Espinoza would certainly stand over 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was frustrating versus Ball and has certainly not succeeded in almost two years, so it is actually tough to provide an argument for him in his existing form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the current ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after quiting Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a 3rd self defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has actually overcome major challenges in title matches, like boxing in a champion's neighborhood and also obtaining cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and also if he gains on Sunday against Angelo Leo, he may probably encounter his most significant obstacle but in a title unification match versus Espinoza to dental crown the greatest boxer in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' resurgence has actually been actually just a year after being come by Oleksandr Usyk, latest kind advises his initial IBF abundant headline protection will definitely end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in leading type, more so than some other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has actually must fix his profession, after suffering next choice reductions to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua dealt with cautiously, with a consentaneous selection get Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his last 3 battles, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting heavyweight champ after he stopped Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk then gave up the IBF waistband, which meant Dubois was upgraded to total champ, therefore provides Joshua along with the option to come to be a three-time planet champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will certainly attempt to manipulate what Hrgovic had actually duplicated excellence along with against Dubois. Hrgovic frequently landed right hands on Dubois in the very early rounds, as well as Joshua has actually shown in latest matches just how harmful his right hands desire he destroyed Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the previous UFC big-time champion's face to take him out chilly. Joshua will definitely take possession of the opportunity if Dubois creates himself similarly on call, as he carried out against Hrgovic. Joshua is a bigger puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois revealed toughness to soak up type June, he has been ceased twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 as well as Usyk last year) as well as was defeated three attend the preliminary through Kevin Lerena before recouping to win in Round 3. But it is actually no stroll in the playground for Joshua, who additionally requires to recognize Dubois' power. Dubois made a mess of Hrgovic's skin as well as may potentially carry out a surprise blockage against Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. did in 2019. However Joshua, that ruled as champion coming from 2016 to 2019 and afterwards from 2019 to 2021, is actually very likely to gain this match by KO.-- Parkinson.