.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt against Angelo Leo in the main occasion 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 last loss remained in May 2019 as well as he has gained 14 consecutive fights due to the fact that, featuring exceptional victories over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently rejected a financially rewarding fight against fellow lightweight champion Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis and also while he have not announced his retirement, will we see "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will certainly create his second band appeal this year, but certainly not versus the competitor enthusiasts have actually clamored for. Instead of David Benavidez, Canelo will certainly experience Edgar Berlanga, that is actually never ever battled at this amount in his quick job. While Berlanga possesses extraordinary energy-- he started his profession with 16 successive first-round KOs-- may he find a technique to gain, or a minimum of go the distance versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will defend a label for the very first time in pair of years. Joshua will experience IBF champion Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is actually favored to end up being a three-time globe champion (-550 every ESPN BET). And two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the ring for just the second time in nearly four years to handle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that gained waistbands at 140 as well as 147 extra pounds, is actually going up in weight for the opportunity to come to be a three-division champion, yet may he distress an older but still powerful Lara?Mike Coppinger as well as Nick Parkinson answer these questions and more, making an effort to differentiate what's actual and also what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko will certainly retire without another fightNot real ... for now. Lomachenko is considering retirement life, sources said to ESPN, part of the explanation he dropped a highly profitable fight along with Gervonta Davis in November. There's likewise an option that Lomachenko are going to come back in the 1st one-half of 2025 to defend his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a fighting state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson must be divided at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was actually viewed telling Stevenson, "Let's go ideal now.If that is actually any sort of indication, Lomachenko will definitely combat again. Maybe even versus Davis or even Stevenson, the two largest matches on the desk for him. But if he never ever laces up the gloves once more, Lomachenko's heritage is actually secured. He's a three-division champion, a first-ballot Venue of Famer and also an essential of the pound-for-pound checklist over the final 10 years.He likewise does not require to overcome for the money. He's gained countless dollars in his job and still dwells in Ukraine, where he is among the nation's very most popular sportsmens. Regardless if he combats again, he certainly won't do this much longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara as well as ends up being a champion in a third divisionNot genuine. Garcia has actually upset the possibilities prior to, including a surprising KO sway Amir Khan as well as a dominant choice success over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st win raised him to the upper tier of the sport and also the last bound that status.But the Matthysse fight was actually 11 years ago, though, and those two trademark Garcia wins went to 140 extra pounds (he additionally succeeded a title at 147 extra pounds and also went up to 154 for a July 2022 win over Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still seeking a gain that matches that, and a distressed success over Lara would certainly suit the bill.Garcia didn't be similar to the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, and he hasn't competed because. Now, he'll move up yet another body weight lesson (though the Lara fight is actually happening at a catchweight in between 155 as well as 160 pounds) as well as need to emulate ring lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight title fight against Lara are going to be actually Garcia's 2nd considering that December 2020, when he was actually directed by Errol Spence Jr.The decide on here is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, reveals remarkable power, albeit versus fighters under Garcia's degree. Lara is riding a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's match versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, guards his undeniable super middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's leading celebrity, hasn't racked up a KO victory due to the fact that he flattened Caleb Plant in a Nov 2021 fight to win the recognized extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has racked up a presentation in his last three matches. Versus a boxer in Berlanga, that will certainly be actually fighting on the leading degree for the first time, Alvarez must add the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been injured in the ring in the past, such as in a step-up battle against Marcelo Coceres, who fell him in Cycle 9. And also his protection isn't exactly sound. Berlanga has power (he started his career with 16 successive KO gains in the preliminary), and if he decides on to swap with Canelo, Alvarez ought to take him out.Alvarez assured as a lot at a set of press conference today to ensure the fight.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: Nothing else lightweight champ may hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a genuine risk to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June as well as defeating Robeisy Ramirez through a majority selection to succeed the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in three of the 4 shots, while his outbreak gain along with Ramirez was one of the most ideal fights in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest world featherweight champion in past history-- would be actually an obstacle for Lopez. Chirinho succeeded to get up from an uppercut from Espinoza in Around 1, just before he was soon overwhelmed. As a qualified, Chirinho had actually never been actually torn down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza created a shock in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the final 3 spheres. Although he is certainly not as seasoned as Lopez, the volume of hits he has thrown in his final two fights, along with his elevation and arrive at benefits, might show overwhelming for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually looked implausible in recent fights, while our experts still need to have to view extra from Chip Round just before our experts announce him the department's No. 1. Round (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight label with a split selection win over Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment adhered to a questionable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. Yet Espinoza would certainly tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was unsatisfying versus Sphere and also has actually not gained in almost pair of years, so it is tough to show a disagreement for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a third defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has actually gotten rid of significant difficulties in headline fights, like punching in a champion's neighborhood and also getting slice early (vs. Josh Warrington), as well as if he succeeds on Sunday versus Angelo Leo, he may probably experience his greatest problem however in a title unification battle against Espinoza to dental crown the very best competitor in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' rebirth has actually been actually just a year after being stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, recent form suggests his initial IBF abundant title self defense will definitely end in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in top kind, more thus than every other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has actually needed to restore his occupation, after going through next selection reductions to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua combated cautiously, along with a consensual choice get Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his last three battles, he accomplished 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 implied Dubois was improved to complete champion, and so presents Joshua along with the chance to end up being a three-time planet champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua will attempt to exploit what Hrgovic had repeated success with against Dubois. Hrgovic regularly landed right hands on Dubois in the early rounds, and Joshua has displayed in current battles just how harmful his right-hand men desire he damaged Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the previous UFC heavyweight champ's jaw to take him out cold. Joshua will certainly confiscate the chance if Dubois produces themself similarly readily available, as he did against Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a greater puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois showed durability to take in punches in June, he has been quit two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk in 2013) and also was floored three attend the first round through Kevin Lerena just before recuperating to gain in Round 3. However it is actually no walk in the park for Joshua, that additionally requires to respect Dubois' power. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's skin and also can likely manage a surprise stop versus Joshua, just like Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. However Joshua, that ruled as champion from 2016 to 2019 and after that coming from 2019 to 2021, is more probable to win this battle by KO.-- Parkinson.