.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt against Angelo Leo in the main activity of a Leading Position on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Saturday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final loss remained in May 2019 and he has actually gained 14 consecutive matches since, including excellent success over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko just recently denied a highly profitable match against fellow lightweight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis and also while he hasn't announced his retirement life, will definitely our team view "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will definitely create his second band appearance this year, but not against the competitor followers have clamored for. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely face Edgar Berlanga, that's never ever combated at this degree in his short occupation. While Berlanga has fabulous power-- he began his profession along with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can he discover a way to gain, or a minimum of go the proximity versus Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua will fight for a label for the very first time in 2 years. Joshua will definitely experience IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually chosen to end up being a three-time planet champ (-550 every ESPN BET). And also two-division champ Danny Garcia returns to the ring for just the second attend nearly four years to handle WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who won waistbands at 140 and 147 pounds, is moving up in body weight for the chance to become a three-division champion, yet can he disturb an older but still effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and Scar Parkinson answer these questions as well as even more, attempting to identify what's real and what is actually not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko will resign without an additional fightNot actual ... for now. Lomachenko is contemplating retirement life, sources informed ESPN, part of the factor he decreased a lucrative match with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually also a probability that Lomachenko will come back in the first fifty percent of 2025 to defend his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) showed up in a combating state of mind Saturday in Los Angeles: he and also Shakur Stevenson needed to be separated at ringside during the course of the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was actually seen informing Stevenson, "Let's go appropriate now.If that is actually any kind of indicator, Lomachenko will battle again. Maybe even against Davis or Stevenson, the two biggest matches on the desk for him. But if he certainly never shoelaces up the handwear covers once again, Lomachenko's legacy is actually safeguarded. He is actually a three-division champion, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a backbone of the pound-for-pound list over the final 10 years.He likewise doesn't need to fight for the cash. He is actually earned numerous dollars in his career and also still lives in Ukraine, where he is just one of the country's very most well-known professional athletes. Whether he deals with once more, he undoubtedly won't do this much longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or not: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara and also ends up being a champ in a 3rd divisionNot actual. Garcia has actually upset the probabilities prior to, featuring a surprising KO get Amir Khan and also a prevalent selection triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The very first win elevated him to the top tier of the sporting activity and the last cemented that status.But the Matthysse match was actually 11 years ago, though, as well as those 2 trademark Garcia wins went to 140 pounds (he also gained a title at 147 pounds and moved up to 154 for a July 2022 draw Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still hunting for a win that matches that, as well as a dismayed victory over Lara would certainly accommodate the bill.Garcia failed to be similar to the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision victory over Benavidez, as well as he have not completed given that. Now, he'll go up yet another body weight class (though the Lara battle is happening at a catchweight between 155 and also 160 pounds) and need to emulate band lack of exercise. The Sept. 14 middleweight label match versus Lara will certainly be actually Garcia's second given that December 2020, when he was routed through Errol Spence Jr.The select right here is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, also at 41, shows enormous power, albeit versus fighters below Garcia's degree. Lara is using a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's match against Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, protects his recognized tremendously middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu by means of Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's leading celebrity, have not scored a KO victory due to the fact that he smoothed Caleb Vegetation in a Nov 2021 match to succeed the undisputed tremendously middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually racked up a knockdown in his last three fights. Against a boxer in Berlanga, who will certainly be dealing with on the best degree for the very first time, Alvarez should add the 40th KO of his illustrious career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been hurt in the ring in the past, specifically in a step-up match against Marcelo Coceres, who fell him in Round 9. As well as his self defense isn't precisely sound. Berlanga has power (he started his profession with 16 successive KO wins in the preliminary), and if he chooses to swap with Canelo, Alvarez needs to take him out.Alvarez promised as much at a set of news conferences today to promote the battle.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: Nothing else featherweight champ can easily beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a true risk to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June and defeating Robeisy Ramirez by a bulk decision to win the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) defeated Chirinho in three of the 4 shots, while his escapement win along with Ramirez was just one of the most effective matches in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest planet lightweight champion in record-- would be a problem for Lopez. Chirinho did well to rise coming from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Around 1, before he was actually quickly subdued. As a specialist, Chirinho had never been actually torn down just before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza generated a surprise in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the last 3 arounds. Although he is actually not as seasoned as Lopez, the volume of strikes he has included his final 2 matches, along with his elevation and also get to perks, could show overwhelming for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually looked implausible in latest matches, while our team still require to find extra coming from Nick Sphere prior to our experts announce him the branch's No. 1. Round (20-0-1, 11 KOs) captured the WBA featherweight label along with a split choice win over Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment complied with a debatable draw versus Vargas for the WBC title in March. Yet Espinoza will overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually unsatisfactory versus Ball and has actually not won in virtually 2 years, so it is tough to provide an argument for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the current ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a 3rd protection of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has beat huge difficulties in headline battles, like boxing in a champ's home town as well as obtaining cut early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he succeeds on Saturday against Angelo Leo, he may possibly experience his biggest obstacle however in a title unification battle versus Espinoza to crown the most effective competitor in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Just as good as Dubois' rebirth has been just a year after being come by Oleksandr Usyk, recent form recommends his 1st IBF abundant label protection will end in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) remains in leading type, much more so than any other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has must rebuild his job, after suffering next selection reductions to Usyk in 2021 and 2022. Joshua dealt with meticulously, with a consentaneous decision gain Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, however in his last 3 fights, he accomplished Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back coming from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting big-time champ after he quit Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk then gave up the IBF belt, which meant Dubois was updated to full champion, and so shows Joshua with the option to end up being a three-time world champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua will try to manipulate what Hrgovic had actually redoed effectiveness along with against Dubois. Hrgovic frequently landed right-hand men on Dubois in the very early arounds, and also Joshua has received latest battles how destructive his right-hand men seek he destroyed Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the former UFC heavyweight champion's jaw to knock him out cold. Joshua will definitely seize the chance if Dubois produces himself similarly on call, as he carried out against Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a much bigger puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois showed durability to absorb type June, he has been stopped two times (through Joe Joyce in 2020 as well as Usyk in 2014) and was knocked down 3 times in the first round through Kevin Lerena before bouncing back to gain in Round 3. Yet it is no walk in the playground for Joshua, that also needs to have to appreciate Dubois' energy. Dubois ruined Hrgovic's skin and also may likely manage a shock stop against Joshua, just like Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. But Joshua, that ruled as champ from 2016 to 2019 and then from 2019 to 2021, is very likely to gain this fight through KO.-- Parkinson.