.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo in the main activity of a Best Ranking on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final loss was in May 2019 and also he has gained 14 successive matches given that, featuring outstanding victories over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the most ideal featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently refused a financially rewarding match versus fellow lightweight champion Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis and also while he hasn't introduced his retirement life, are going to our company find "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will make his 2nd band appeal this year, but not versus the fighter supporters have demanded. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo is going to encounter Edgar Berlanga, who's certainly never battled at this degree in his short occupation. While Berlanga possesses unbelievable energy-- he began his career with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can easily he locate a technique to gain, or at the very least go the span against Alvarez?Former heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua are going to defend a headline for the first time in 2 years. Joshua will certainly face IBF champ Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is chosen to end up being a three-time planet champ (-550 per ESPN WAGER). As well as two-division champion Danny Garcia returns to the band for only the 2nd time in practically four years to handle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that succeeded waistbands at 140 as well as 147 extra pounds, is actually going up in body weight for the opportunity to end up being a three-division champ, however may he upset a more mature but still strong Lara?Mike Coppinger and Chip Parkinson address these concerns and even more, trying to distinguish what's true and also what's not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to resign without yet another fightNot true ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually pondering retired life, resources said to ESPN, aspect of the main reason he declined a profitable match with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually likewise a possibility that Lomachenko will certainly return in the 1st half of 2025 to safeguard his IBF light-weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a fighting state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson needed to be divided at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was actually viewed informing Stevenson, "Let's go appropriate now.If that's any indicator, Lomachenko is going to battle again. Perhaps even against Davis or Stevenson, the two greatest fights on the desk for him. But if he never shoelaces up the handwear covers once more, Lomachenko's legacy is secured. He is actually a three-division champion, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and also a pillar of the pound-for-pound listing over the final 10 years.He also doesn't need to have to fight for the money. He's gained millions of dollars in his job and also still resides in Ukraine, where he is among the country's very most preferred sportsmens. Regardless if he deals with again, he absolutely won't do this much longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and also ends up being a champion in a 3rd divisionNot true. Garcia has outplayed the probabilities just before, including a stunning KO win over Amir Khan as well as a dominant selection victory over Lucas Matthysse. The very first gain elevated him to the higher echelon of the sport as well as the last bound that status.But the Matthysse fight was 11 years back, however, as well as those two trademark Garcia wins went to 140 extra pounds (he likewise gained a label at 147 pounds as well as moved up to 154 for a July 2022 draw Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still searching for a win that matches that, as well as a dismayed success over Lara will match the bill.Garcia failed to resemble the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, and also he hasn't contended given that. Currently, he'll move up another weight lesson (though the Lara match is actually occurring at a catchweight in between 155 and also 160 pounds) and need to contend with ring inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight title fight against Lara will be actually Garcia's second since December 2020, when he was directed through Errol Spence Jr.The choose listed below is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, shows incredible energy, albeit against boxers below Garcia's amount. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's match versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, shields his undeniable incredibly middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's best star, hasn't racked up a KO success considering that he flattened Caleb Plant in a November 2021 match to win the recognized incredibly middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually racked up a knockdown in his final three matches. Versus a competitor in Berlanga, that will be actually battling on the best degree for the very first time, Alvarez should incorporate the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been injured in the ring previously, specifically in a step-up fight versus Marcelo Coceres, who dropped him in Cycle 9. And his protection isn't precisely sound. Berlanga possesses electrical power (he started his career with 16 successive KO wins in the preliminary), as well as if he decides on to swap along with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez guaranteed as a lot at a pair of news conferences this week to ensure the fight.-- Coppinger Real or not: Nothing else light champion can easily beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a genuine risk to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round win in June as well as defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a majority choice to gain the WBO headline in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in 3 of the four rounds, while his breakout gain along with Ramirez was one of the best fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest globe light champion in past-- will be actually an obstacle for Lopez. Chirinho flourished to get up from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Sphere 1, just before he was actually soon overpowered. As an expert, Chirinho had certainly never been actually knocked down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza created a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the final three rounds. Although he is certainly not as skilled as Lopez, the amount of punches he has actually thrown in his final pair of fights, together with his height as well as reach conveniences, can show insurmountable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked unconvincing in current battles, while we still need to view even more from Chip Round before our experts proclaim him the division's No. 1. Round (20-0-1, 11 KOs) captured the WBA featherweight title with a split choice draw Raymond Ford in June. That conquest followed a controversial draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. But Espinoza would overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually frustrating versus Ball and also has not succeeded in virtually two years, so it is challenging to offer a disagreement for him in his present form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in 8 spheres in a 3rd defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has overcome major difficulties in title matches, like punching in a champion's home town as well as acquiring slice early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he gains on Sunday versus Angelo Leo, he might perhaps face his most significant problem however in a headline marriage match versus Espinoza to crown the best fighter in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel DuboisReal. Comparable to Dubois' rebirth has actually been actually simply a year after being actually come by Oleksandr Usyk, latest kind recommends his first IBF abundant label defense will finish in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) remains in leading kind, extra so than any other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has had to fix his career, after enduring back-to-back selection losses to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua fought very carefully, with a consentaneous decision draw Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, but in his final three fights, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin as well as Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF interim heavyweight champion after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Round 8. Usyk then relinquished the IBF belt, which suggested Dubois was improved to full champion, therefore shows Joshua with the opportunity to become a three-time world champ at Wembley Coliseum in London.Joshua will certainly attempt to manipulate what Hrgovic had duplicated excellence along with against Dubois. Hrgovic regularly landed right-hand men on Dubois in the early rounds, and also Joshua has received recent battles exactly how damaging his right-hand men desire he ruined Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the past UFC heavyweight champion's chin to knock him out cool. Joshua will take the chance if Dubois makes themself similarly available, as he carried out against Hrgovic. Joshua is a bigger puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois revealed toughness to soak up punches in June, he has been actually quit twice (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk in 2013) and was actually knocked down three attend the preliminary by Kevin Lerena just before recovering to gain in Cycle 3. However it is actually no stroll in the park for Joshua, who also needs to have to appreciate Dubois' power. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's face and may potentially manage a shock deduction against Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. But Joshua, that ruled as champ from 2016 to 2019 and afterwards coming from 2019 to 2021, is more probable to gain this battle through KO.-- Parkinson.