.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his belt against Angelo Leo in the main occasion of a Top Ranking on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final reduction was in May 2019 and also he has won 14 successive matches considering that, featuring exceptional victories over Josh Warrington in England as well as Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. Yet is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently turned down a rewarding fight versus fellow light in weight champion Gervonta "Storage tank" Davis as well as while he have not introduced his retirement, will certainly our company see "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez are going to make his second ring look this year, however certainly not against the competitor enthusiasts have actually demanded. Instead of David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely encounter Edgar Berlanga, that is actually never dealt with at this degree in his brief job. While Berlanga has astonishing power-- he started his profession along with 16 consecutive first-round KOs-- can easily he find a means to win, or even at the very least go the proximity versus Alvarez?Former heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua will certainly defend a label for the very first time in pair of years. Joshua will definitely encounter IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually chosen to become a three-time planet champ (-550 per ESPN BET). And also two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the band for just the second time in virtually 4 years to handle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who won waistbands at 140 and also 147 extra pounds, is moving up in weight for the opportunity to become a three-division champion, yet can easily he upset a more mature but still strong Lara?Mike Coppinger and Nick Parkinson answer these inquiries as well as even more, making an effort to distinguish what's real and what's not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko will resign without yet another fightNot real ... meanwhile. Lomachenko is actually reflecting upon retirement life, resources said to ESPN, component of the factor he declined a financially rewarding battle with Gervonta Davis in November. There is actually likewise a possibility that Lomachenko will certainly return in the very first one-half of 2025 to shield his IBF light in weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a combating mood Saturday in Los Angeles: he and Shakur Stevenson had to be actually split at ringside during the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was actually viewed saying to Stevenson, "Let's go best now.If that's any evidence, Lomachenko will definitely battle once again. Perhaps even versus Davis or Stevenson, the 2 biggest battles on the table for him. But if he certainly never laces up the handwear covers once more, Lomachenko's heritage is actually protected. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and a pillar of the pound-for-pound checklist over the last 10 years.He also doesn't require to eliminate for the money. He is actually earned numerous dollars in his career and still dwells in Ukraine, where he is just one of the nation's very most prominent sportsmens. Whether he fights once again, he surely won't do so much longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia hammers Erislandy Lara as well as comes to be a champion in a third divisionNot real. Garcia has upset the odds just before, including a stunning KO win over Amir Khan and a prevalent choice triumph over Lucas Matthysse. The first gain raised him to the top tier of the sport and the last glued that status.But the Matthysse match was 11 years earlier, however, as well as those two trademark Garcia triumphes were at 140 pounds (he additionally succeeded a label at 147 extra pounds and moved up to 154 for a July 2022 win over Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still searching for a win that matches that, and a dismayed victory over Lara would fit the bill.Garcia failed to resemble the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and also he hasn't competed considering that. Now, he'll go up another weight course (though the Lara match is actually occurring at a catchweight in between 155 as well as 160 pounds) as well as must contend with band stagnation. The Sept. 14 middleweight label fight versus Lara will be actually Garcia's second due to the fact that December 2020, when he was routed by Errol Spence Jr.The select listed below is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, even at 41, presents remarkable power, albeit against competitors under Garcia's level. Lara is actually using a three-fight KO streak.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's match versus Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left, defends his indisputable super middleweight champion versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu using Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, punching's leading celebrity, have not scored a KO success due to the fact that he flattened Caleb Plant in a Nov 2021 fight to succeed the undisputed super middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has actually scored a presentation in his final 3 battles. Against a competitor in Berlanga, who will certainly be actually combating on the leading amount for the very first time, Alvarez must add the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been actually hurt in the ring previously, particularly in a step-up fight against Marcelo Coceres, who dropped him in Cycle 9. And his protection isn't specifically seem. Berlanga possesses power (he began his job along with 16 successive KO gains in the preliminary), and if he opts for to exchange along with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez assured as a lot at a set of press conference today to promote the match.-- Coppinger Real or not: Not one other light champ can beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza appears a true risk to Lopez after agonizing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June as well as beating Robeisy Ramirez through a majority decision to succeed the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in three of the 4 shots, while his outbreak win with Ramirez was among the very best battles in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the tallest globe lightweight champ in past history-- will be a challenge for Lopez. Chirinho flourished to rise from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Sphere 1, just before he was soon overpowered. As a qualified, Chirinho had actually never been brought down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza made a shock in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the final three spheres. Although he is certainly not as experienced as Lopez, the volume of punches he has actually included his final pair of battles, alongside his elevation and also get to perks, might show impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has appeared implausible in current battles, while we still need to have to see much more from Nick Round before our company proclaim him the branch's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight headline along with a split choice get Raymond Ford in June. That triumph complied with a disputable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. But Espinoza would overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was unsatisfying versus Round and also has actually not gained in virtually 2 years, so it is actually challenging 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 self defense of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has eliminated huge obstacles in title battles, like punching in a champion's hometown and also obtaining cut very early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he wins on Sunday versus Angelo Leo, he may maybe experience his greatest challenge but in a title marriage battle versus Espinoza to dental crown the greatest competitor in the division.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. As good as Dubois' resurgence has actually been merely a year after being come by Oleksandr Usyk, current kind recommends his 1st IBF abundant title defense will definitely finish in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) is in top type, extra so than some other heavyweight. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has actually had to restore his occupation, after suffering back-to-back decision reductions to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua combated very carefully, along with a consensual selection get Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, yet in his last 3 battles, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting big-time champion after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk at that point gave up the IBF belt, which indicated Dubois was actually updated to complete champ, therefore provides Joshua along with the opportunity to come to be a three-time globe champ at Wembley Arena in London.Joshua are going to attempt to manipulate what Hrgovic had redoed effectiveness with against Dubois. Hrgovic continually landed right hands on Dubois in the early spheres, and also Joshua has actually displayed in recent matches how detrimental his right hands are after he ruined Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the past UFC heavyweight champ's chin to take him out chilly. Joshua is going to take the opportunity if Dubois makes himself in a similar way available, as he carried out versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a bigger puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois showed longevity to absorb type June, he has been actually ceased twice (through Joe Joyce in 2020 as well as Usyk in 2014) and also was floored three times in the first round by Kevin Lerena just before recouping to win in Round 3. But it is actually no walk in the park for Joshua, that also needs to have to recognize Dubois' energy. Dubois pauperized Hrgovic's skin and also can likely carry out a surprise standstill against Joshua, just like Andy Ruiz Jr. performed in 2019. However Joshua, that ruled as champ coming from 2016 to 2019 and then from 2019 to 2021, is most likely to succeed this match by KO.-- Parkinson.