.IBF featherweight champ Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt versus Angelo Leo in the main event of a Top Position on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's last reduction remained in May 2019 and also he has gained 14 successive fights because, featuring exceptional triumphes over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently refused a highly profitable battle against fellow light-weight champion Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis as well as while he have not revealed his retired life, will certainly we find "Hi-Tech" in the ring again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely make his second band look this year, but certainly not versus the competitor followers have actually clamored for. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will deal with Edgar Berlanga, that is actually never dealt with at this level in his quick career. While Berlanga has extraordinary electrical power-- he began his occupation with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can he find a means to win, or at the very least go the distance against Alvarez?Former heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua are going to defend a label for the very first time in pair of years. Joshua is going to encounter IBF champion Daniel Dubois in London, as "AJ" is actually favored to end up being a three-time planet champion (-550 per ESPN BET). And two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the band for simply the second time in almost four years to tackle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, that gained waistbands at 140 and 147 pounds, is moving up in body weight for the chance to end up being a three-division champion, however can easily he disturb an older but still powerful Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Scar Parkinson address these concerns and additional, attempting to differentiate what's genuine and also what's not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko will resign without another fightNot true ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually pondering retirement, resources informed ESPN, portion of the main reason he declined a lucrative fight along with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually additionally an option that Lomachenko are going to return in the 1st fifty percent of 2025 to safeguard his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) appeared in a fighting state of mind Saturday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson must be actually split at ringside in the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov memory card. Lomachenko was actually viewed telling Stevenson, "Permit's go best now.If that is actually any indication, Lomachenko will fight once more. Perhaps even versus Davis or even Stevenson, the 2 biggest matches on the desk for him. However if he certainly never laces up the gloves again, Lomachenko's tradition is secured. He's a three-division champion, a first-ballot Venue of Famer as well as an essential of the pound-for-pound list over the last 10 years.He also doesn't need to have to combat for the cash. He's gotten countless bucks in his career and still dwells in Ukraine, where he's one of the nation's very most well-liked athletes. Regardless if he battles again, he definitely won't do this much longer. He turns 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara and comes to be a champion in a third divisionNot real. Garcia has upset the odds before, featuring a surprising KO get Amir Khan and a dominant selection success over Lucas Matthysse. The 1st gain raised him to the higher tier of the sporting activity and also the second glued that status.But the Matthysse battle was actually 11 years back, however, as well as those 2 trademark Garcia triumphes were at 140 extra pounds (he likewise won a headline at 147 extra pounds and went up to 154 for a July 2022 get Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still seeking a gain that matches that, as well as an upset success over Lara would fit the bill.Garcia really did not resemble the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and also he have not contended due to the fact that. Currently, he'll move up another body weight class (though the Lara battle is occurring at a catchweight in between 155 as well as 160 pounds) and have to contend with band inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight label battle against Lara will definitely be Garcia's 2nd since December 2020, when he was transmitted by Errol Spence Jr.The decide on listed below is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, even at 41, reveals incredible electrical power, albeit versus fighters under Garcia's degree. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's battle against Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, shields his undisputed very middleweight championship versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu through Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's leading celebrity, hasn't racked up a KO success given that he flattened Caleb Vegetation in a Nov 2021 match to win the recognized very middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a knockdown in his final 3 battles. Against a fighter in Berlanga, that are going to be dealing with on the best level for the first time, Alvarez ought to include the 40th KO of his renowned career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been actually injured in the ring in the past, particularly in a step-up battle versus Marcelo Coceres, that dropped him in Round 9. And also his defense isn't specifically sound. Berlanga possesses energy (he began his job along with 16 consecutive KO gains in the preliminary), as well as if he selects to trade with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez guaranteed as much at a set of news conferences this week to market the battle.-- Coppinger Real or not: Nothing else lightweight champion can beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears an actual hazard to Lopez after torturing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round win in June as well as defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a bulk decision to gain the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in three of the 4 shots, while his breakout succeed along with Ramirez was one of the most ideal fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest globe lightweight champion in history-- would certainly be actually a problem for Lopez. Chirinho did well to stand up coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Sphere 1, prior to he was actually very soon overwhelmed. As a specialist, Chirinho had actually never ever been actually brought down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza created a shock in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the last 3 arounds. Although he is actually not as experienced as Lopez, the volume of strikes he has actually thrown in his final two matches, in addition to his height and arrive at perks, can prove insurmountable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has appeared implausible in recent battles, while our team still need to view much more coming from Chip Sphere before our team proclaim him the division's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) captured the WBA featherweight label along with a split selection gain Raymond Ford in June. That triumph observed a questionable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. Yet Espinoza would overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was frustrating versus Ball and also has actually not succeeded in virtually 2 years, so it is actually difficult to show a debate for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the present ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a 3rd self defense of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has gotten rid of major problems in headline fights, like punching in a champion's hometown as well as receiving slice very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he gains on Saturday against Angelo Leo, he might perhaps experience his most significant challenge yet in a label marriage fight versus Espinoza to crown the greatest fighter in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will certainly KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' rebirth has actually been actually simply a year after being actually visited Oleksandr Usyk, latest kind suggests his 1st IBF abundant label defense are going to finish in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in top type, a lot more therefore than some other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has actually had to rebuild his career, after suffering next choice reductions to Usyk in 2021 and also 2022. Joshua battled cautiously, with a consentaneous choice gain Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his final three matches, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and also Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back coming from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF interim heavyweight champ after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Round 8. Usyk after that relinquished the IBF waistband, which indicated Dubois was updated to complete champ, therefore provides Joshua with the option to come to be a three-time planet champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua will certainly try to manipulate what Hrgovic had duplicated results along with against Dubois. Hrgovic frequently landed right hands on Dubois in the very early arounds, and Joshua has received latest fights exactly how damaging his right-hand men want he ruined Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right-hand man on the past UFC big-time champion's chin to knock him out cold. Joshua is going to confiscate the chance if Dubois makes themself in a similar way available, as he performed against Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a much bigger puncher than Hrgovic and also, although Dubois revealed toughness to take in punches in June, he has been stopped twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk in 2015) and also was actually defeated three attend the first round by Kevin Lerena before recovering to gain in Cycle 3. But it is actually no walk in the park for Joshua, who additionally requires to value Dubois' electrical power. Dubois pauperized Hrgovic's skin as well as may possibly pull off a shock blockage versus Joshua, much like Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. But Joshua, who concluded as champion from 2016 to 2019 and afterwards from 2019 to 2021, is very likely to gain this battle by KO.-- Parkinson.