.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband versus Angelo Leo in the main activity of a Top Position 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 as well as he has gained 14 consecutive fights because, featuring outstanding triumphes over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the greatest featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently turned down a financially rewarding match against fellow light-weight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis and while he have not declared his retired life, will our company find "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez are going to create his second band appearance this year, but certainly not against the competitor enthusiasts have actually demanded. Instead of David Benavidez, Canelo is going to experience Edgar Berlanga, that is actually never ever combated at this amount in his brief occupation. While Berlanga possesses fabulous power-- he began his job with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can easily he discover a technique to win, or even at least go the span versus Alvarez?Former abundant champ Anthony Joshua will fight for a title for the first time in pair of years. Joshua will face IBF champ Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually chosen to end up being a three-time globe champion (-550 every ESPN BET). And also two-division champion Danny Garcia returns to the ring for just the 2nd time in virtually 4 years to take on WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who won waistbands at 140 as well as 147 extra pounds, is actually going up in body weight for the possibility to come to be a three-division champion, yet can easily he disturb a much older yet still powerful Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Chip Parkinson address these concerns and also more, making an effort to differentiate what's real and also what's not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko will definitely retire without another fightNot genuine ... for now. Lomachenko is actually contemplating retirement, resources said to ESPN, component of the explanation he dropped a profitable fight with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually also an option that Lomachenko are going to come back in the very first fifty percent of 2025 to defend his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a dealing with mood Sunday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson must be divided at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was actually seen saying to Stevenson, "Let's go best now.If that's any sort of sign, Lomachenko will certainly fight once again. Maybe even versus Davis or Stevenson, the 2 biggest battles on the table for him. But if he never ever shoelaces up the gloves again, Lomachenko's legacy is secured. He is actually a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a mainstay of the pound-for-pound list over the final 10 years.He likewise does not need to have to combat for the cash. He's earned countless dollars in his job and also still resides in Ukraine, where he is among the nation's very most well-liked athletes. Whether or not he deals with again, he undoubtedly will not do this a lot longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara as well as becomes a champion in a 3rd divisionNot true. Garcia has actually upset the possibilities before, consisting of a stunning KO sway Amir Khan as well as a leading choice triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The first win raised him to the higher tier of the sporting activity as well as the second bound that status.But the Matthysse match was actually 11 years back, however, and those two trademark Garcia triumphes were at 140 pounds (he likewise succeeded a label at 147 extra pounds and also went up to 154 for a July 2022 get Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still seeking a win that matches that, as well as an upset success over Lara will suit the bill.Garcia didn't resemble the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and he have not competed since. Right now, he'll go up another body weight training class (though the Lara battle is occurring at a catchweight between 155 and 160 pounds) and also must contend with ring lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight headline battle against Lara will be Garcia's second considering that December 2020, when he was actually directed through Errol Spence Jr.The decide on below is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, also at 41, reveals enormous energy, albeit versus boxers beneath Garcia's amount. Lara is actually riding a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's fight versus Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, safeguards his recognized extremely middleweight champion against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's leading celebrity, have not racked up a KO triumph given that he flattened Caleb Plant in a Nov 2021 match to win the indisputable extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a knockdown in his final three battles. Against a competitor in Berlanga, that will definitely be battling on the top level for the first time, Alvarez must include the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been actually injured in the band before, particularly in a step-up battle versus Marcelo Coceres, that fell him in Cycle 9. As well as his defense isn't precisely seem. Berlanga has power (he started his career with 16 successive KO gains in the first round), and also if he picks to trade with Canelo, Alvarez needs to take him out.Alvarez guaranteed as much at a pair of press conference recently to advertise the battle.-- Coppinger Real or not: Nothing else light champ can hammer Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks an actual risk to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round succeed in June and beating Robeisy Ramirez by a majority choice to gain the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in three of the 4 rounds, while his escapement win with Ramirez was among the very best fights 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 did well to get out of bed coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Sphere 1, just before he was quickly overwhelmed. As a professional, Chirinho had certainly never been knocked down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza produced a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and also he outlanded him in the last three rounds. Although he is not as expert as Lopez, the volume of blows he has included his final pair of matches, alongside his height and reach conveniences, might confirm insurmountable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked unconvincing in recent battles, while our company still require to find a lot more from Chip Round just before we declare him the branch's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) recorded the WBA featherweight title along with a split selection sway Raymond Ford in June. That victory observed a disputable draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. Yet Espinoza will stand over 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually unsatisfying versus Sphere as well as has certainly not succeeded in virtually two years, so it is tough 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 third defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has beat significant challenges in label battles, like punching in a champ's hometown and also getting slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and also if he gains on Sunday against Angelo Leo, he may possibly encounter his largest problem yet in a label marriage battle versus Espinoza to crown the greatest fighter in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Comparable to Dubois' resurgence has been only a year after being actually stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, latest kind advises his initial IBF heavyweight headline protection will certainly finish in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in best kind, much more thus than some other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has actually had to restore his career, after going through next choice reductions to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua dealt with cautiously, along with an unanimous decision sway Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his last 3 matches, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin as well as Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned coming from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF interim heavyweight champ after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk then gave up the IBF belt, which implied Dubois was actually updated to full champion, therefore offers Joshua with the possibility to become a three-time globe champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will attempt to manipulate what Hrgovic had actually repeated excellence along with versus Dubois. Hrgovic frequently landed right-hand men on Dubois in the very early spheres, and Joshua has actually received current battles exactly how detrimental his right hands are after he ruined Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the previous UFC big-time champ's face to take him out chilly. Joshua will certainly take possession of the chance if Dubois produces themself similarly on call, as he carried out against Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a bigger puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois showed resilience to soak up type June, he has actually been stopped two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk last year) and also was knocked down 3 times in the preliminary by Kevin Lerena prior to bouncing back to succeed in Round 3. But it is no stroll in the park for Joshua, that also requires to appreciate Dubois' electrical power. Dubois pauperized Hrgovic's face and may likely manage a shock discontinuance against Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. Yet Joshua, who concluded as champion from 2016 to 2019 and afterwards from 2019 to 2021, is more probable to succeed this match through KO.-- Parkinson.