.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo in the main celebration of a Leading Position on ESPN memory card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's last reduction was in May 2019 and also he has won 14 successive matches because, including impressive success over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko lately rejected a beneficial battle versus fellow lightweight champion Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis as well as while he have not revealed his retirement, will we see "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez are going to create his 2nd band appearance this year, but not against the fighter fans have demanded. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo is going to face Edgar Berlanga, who's certainly never fought at this degree in his brief career. While Berlanga has incredible electrical power-- he started his profession along with 16 successive first-round KOs-- may he find a method to succeed, or even at least go the range versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will certainly defend a headline for the very first time in two years. Joshua is going to face IBF champ Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is chosen to end up being a three-time planet champ (-550 per ESPN BET). As well as two-division champ Danny Garcia returns to the band for only the second time in almost four years to handle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who gained waistbands at 140 as well as 147 pounds, is actually going up in body weight for the opportunity to come to be a three-division champ, but may he upset an older yet still effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Nick Parkinson answer these concerns as well as more, trying to differentiate what's genuine and what is actually not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will certainly retire without one more fightNot actual ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually reflecting upon retired life, sources informed ESPN, part of the cause he dropped a profitable battle with Gervonta Davis in November. There's also a probability that Lomachenko will come back in the first one-half of 2025 to defend his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a fighting state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson needed to be actually divided at ringside during the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was viewed saying to Stevenson, "Allow's go correct now.If that's any kind of indication, Lomachenko will definitely fight once again. Perhaps even against Davis or even Stevenson, the two largest battles on the table for him. But if he never ever shoelaces up the gloves again, Lomachenko's heritage is actually protected. He's a three-division champion, a first-ballot Hall of Famer as well as a backbone of the pound-for-pound checklist over the final 10 years.He additionally does not require to fight for the cash. He's gotten numerous bucks in his career and also still dwells in Ukraine, where he's one of the country's very most preferred professional athletes. Regardless if he combats again, he certainly will not accomplish this a lot longer. He transforms 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara as well as comes to be a champion in a 3rd divisionNot true. Garcia has outplayed the chances just before, consisting of a surprising KO draw Amir Khan as well as a dominant choice triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st win elevated him to the upper tier of the sport and also the second sealed that status.But the Matthysse battle was actually 11 years back, however, as well as those two signature Garcia wins went to 140 extra pounds (he likewise won a label 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 seeking a win that matches that, and also a dismayed success over Lara would certainly match the bill.Garcia really did not look like the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and he hasn't completed because. Now, he'll move up an additional body weight course (though the Lara match is actually taking place at a catchweight between 155 and 160 pounds) as well as have to emulate ring inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight label battle against Lara will definitely be Garcia's second because December 2020, when he was actually transmitted by Errol Spence Jr.The decide on below is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), who, even at 41, reveals significant energy, albeit against fighters beneath Garcia's level. Lara is using a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's fight against Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, shields his recognized tremendously middleweight champion versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's best superstar, hasn't racked up a KO triumph since he smoothed Caleb Plant in a November 2021 fight to gain the undeniable extremely middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a presentation in his last three fights. Against a boxer in Berlanga, that will be actually fighting on the top amount for the very first time, Alvarez ought to include the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been harmed in the ring previously, particularly in a step-up match versus Marcelo Coceres, that lost him in Round 9. And also his protection isn't specifically appear. Berlanga has power (he started his job with 16 consecutive KO succeeds in the first round), as well as if he chooses to trade with Canelo, Alvarez should take him out.Alvarez assured as a lot at a set of news conferences today to ensure the fight.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: Not one other featherweight champion may beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a true hazard to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June and beating Robeisy Ramirez by a majority decision to gain the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in three of the 4 rounds, while his escapement succeed along with Ramirez was just one of the most effective matches in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest globe featherweight champion in history-- will be a problem for Lopez. Chirinho flourished to get out of bed from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Around 1, before he was soon overpowered. As a professional, Chirinho had actually never been knocked down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza produced a shock in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the final 3 spheres. Although he is actually certainly not as experienced as Lopez, the amount of punches he has thrown in his last 2 fights, together with his height as well as hit benefits, can show unbeatable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked unconvincing in current battles, while our experts still need to find more coming from Chip Sphere before our team declare him the branch's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight headline along with a split choice sway Raymond Ford in June. That conquest complied with a debatable draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. However Espinoza will tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually unsatisfactory versus Ball as well as has not gained in virtually pair of years, so it is actually hard to provide a debate for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the current ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after quiting Reiya Abe in 8 arounds in a third protection of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has actually beat huge problems in label fights, like punching in a champ's hometown and also receiving cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and also if he gains on Sunday versus Angelo Leo, he may probably experience his biggest challenge however in a title unification fight against Espinoza to dental crown the most ideal competitor in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. As good as Dubois' rebirth has been actually just a year after being stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, latest kind proposes his first IBF heavyweight title self defense will certainly finish in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) remains in leading type, a lot more so than any other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has needed to restore his occupation, after going through back-to-back choice losses to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua battled carefully, with a consentaneous choice draw Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his final three fights, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin as well as Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back coming from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF interim big-time champ after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk at that point gave up the IBF belt, which meant Dubois was actually updated to complete champion, consequently offers Joshua along with the chance to end up being a three-time globe champ at Wembley Coliseum in London.Joshua will certainly try to manipulate what Hrgovic had actually duplicated effectiveness with versus Dubois. Hrgovic consistently landed right hands on Dubois in the early arounds, and Joshua has actually displayed in current battles exactly how destructive his right hands desire he destroyed Ngannou in Around 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the previous UFC big-time champ's jaw to knock him out cold. Joshua is going to confiscate the opportunity if Dubois produces himself likewise on call, as he carried out versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a bigger puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois revealed toughness to absorb punches in June, he has been stopped two times (by Joe Joyce in 2020 as well as Usyk in 2014) and also was actually defeated three attend the preliminary by Kevin Lerena prior to recuperating to win in Round 3. Yet it is no stroll in the park for Joshua, who likewise requires to appreciate Dubois' energy. Dubois ruined Hrgovic's skin and also can likely pull off a surprise deduction against Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. did in 2019. Yet Joshua, that concluded as champion coming from 2016 to 2019 and afterwards coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually very likely to win this match through KO.-- Parkinson.