Sports

Real or not: Will Canelo KO Berlanga? Lopez the most effective featherweight? Final of Lomachenko?

.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband against Angelo Leo generally event of a Leading Ranking on ESPN memory card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final reduction resided in May 2019 and also he has won 14 consecutive battles given that, including impressive victories over Josh Warrington in England and Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. But is he the most ideal featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko recently refused a financially rewarding fight versus fellow light-weight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis and while he hasn't revealed his retired life, will we observe "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will certainly make his 2nd ring appeal this year, but certainly not against the competitor supporters have actually clamored for. Rather Than David Benavidez, Canelo will encounter Edgar Berlanga, that's never ever fought at this amount in his brief career. While Berlanga has amazing energy-- he started his profession with 16 successive first-round KOs-- can easily he discover a way to succeed, or a minimum of go the proximity against Alvarez?Former abundant champ Anthony Joshua are going to defend a title for the first time in pair of years. Joshua will certainly experience IBF champion Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually favored to come to be a three-time world champ (-550 per ESPN BET). And also two-division champ Danny Garcia returns to the ring for simply the 2nd attend almost 4 years to tackle WBA middleweight champ Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who gained belts at 140 and also 147 pounds, is going up in weight for the chance to become a three-division champ, yet may he distress a more mature but still effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and Scar Parkinson answer these questions and also additional, trying to differentiate what's true and what is actually not.Real or otherwise: Vasiliy Lomachenko are going to resign without another fightNot true ... in the meantime. Lomachenko is pondering retirement, resources said to ESPN, part of the factor he declined a lucrative battle along with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There's additionally a probability that Lomachenko will certainly come back in the initial half of 2025 to safeguard his IBF lightweight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a combating state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he and Shakur Stevenson must be separated at ringside during the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was found saying to Stevenson, "Allow's go appropriate now.If that is actually any type of indication, Lomachenko will combat once again. Perhaps even versus Davis or Stevenson, the two most significant fights on the table for him. But if he never ever shoelaces up the handwear covers again, Lomachenko's heritage is gotten. He's a three-division champion, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and an essential of the pound-for-pound checklist over the final 10 years.He also doesn't need to have to overcome for the cash. He is actually made millions of dollars in his job and also still lives in Ukraine, where he is just one of the nation's most prominent professional athletes. Whether or not he fights once again, he certainly won't do so much longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and comes to be a champion in a 3rd divisionNot actual. Garcia has outplayed the chances prior to, including a shocking KO win over Amir Khan and a leading decision success over Lucas Matthysse. The initial gain lifted him to the upper echelon of the sport as well as the last glued that status.But the Matthysse fight was 11 years ago, however, and also those two trademark Garcia success went to 140 extra pounds (he additionally won a label at 147 extra pounds and also went up to 154 for a July 2022 draw Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is actually still seeking a win that matches that, and also a distressed triumph over Lara will fit the bill.Garcia didn't resemble the sharp counterpuncher in the majority-decision success over Benavidez, and also he have not completed given that. Right now, he'll move up yet another weight course (though the Lara fight is actually happening at a catchweight between 155 and 160 pounds) and also have to contend with band inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight title battle against Lara will definitely be Garcia's second considering that December 2020, when he was routed by Errol Spence Jr.The choose below is Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, also at 41, presents significant energy, albeit versus competitors beneath Garcia's level. Lara is riding a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Canelo Alvarez's battle against Edgar Berlanga doesn't go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, shields his indisputable super middleweight championship against Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Las Vegas. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's top star, hasn't racked up a KO triumph given that he squashed Caleb Plant in a November 2021 match to succeed the indisputable tremendously middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has scored a knockdown in his last three matches. Versus a competitor in Berlanga, that will definitely be battling on the top level for the very first time, Alvarez should incorporate the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has been hurt in the band previously, such as in a step-up match against Marcelo Coceres, who lost him in Round 9. And his defense isn't specifically seem. Berlanga possesses power (he began his job along with 16 consecutive KO wins in the first round), and if he chooses to exchange with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez guaranteed as much at a set of press conference this week to promote the fight.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: Nothing else featherweight champ may beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a genuine hazard to Lopez after tormenting Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June and beating Robeisy Ramirez by a bulk choice to gain the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) floored Chirinho in three of the four rounds, while his escapement gain with Ramirez was among the most ideal battles in 2023. Publisher's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest world lightweight champ in background-- would certainly be actually a problem for Lopez. Chirinho did well to rise coming from an uppercut coming from Espinoza in Sphere 1, just before he was actually quickly overthrown. As a qualified, Chirinho had never ever been brought down prior to Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza made a surprise in pounding two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, as well as he outlanded him in the last three rounds. Although he is not as skilled as Lopez, the quantity of hits he has actually thrown in his last 2 fights, together with his elevation and reach conveniences, could possibly show unbeatable for Lopez.Rey Vargas has actually appeared unconvincing in current fights, while our experts still need to have to find a lot more from Chip Ball just before we proclaim him the department's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) caught the WBA featherweight headline along with a split selection win over Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment complied with a controversial draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. Yet Espinoza would certainly tower above 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually unsatisfying versus Round and has certainly not won in virtually 2 years, so it is actually hard to present a debate for him in his existing form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is actually the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after ceasing Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a third protection of the IBF waistband in March. Lopez has beat huge obstacles in title matches, like boxing in a champ's hometown and also getting cut early (vs. Josh Warrington), and if he succeeds on Sunday against Angelo Leo, he may possibly encounter his most significant difficulty yet in a headline marriage fight versus Espinoza to crown the best fighter in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or not: Anthony Joshua will definitely KO Daniel DuboisReal. Like Dubois' resurgence has actually been simply a year after being stopped by Oleksandr Usyk, recent form recommends his first IBF abundant title defense will finish in a KO loss to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in leading type, extra so than every other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, twenty KOs), Joshua has actually must rebuild his job, after enduring next selection reductions to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua fought carefully, with an unanimous choice win over Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, but in his final 3 battles, he rounded off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin as well as Francis Ngannou.Dubois returned coming from Saudi Arabia to London as IBF interim big-time champ after he ceased Filip Hrgovic in Sphere 8. Usyk after that gave up the IBF waistband, which indicated Dubois was actually updated to total champ, and so provides Joshua with the opportunity to come to be a three-time world champ at Wembley Coliseum in London.Joshua will certainly attempt to manipulate what Hrgovic had repeated success along with against Dubois. Hrgovic consistently landed right-hand men on Dubois in the very early arounds, and also Joshua has actually displayed in current battles just how destructive his right-hand men want he damaged Ngannou in Round 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the previous UFC big-time champion's face to knock him out cool. Joshua will certainly take the option if Dubois produces themself similarly available, as he performed against Hrgovic. Joshua is a much bigger puncher than Hrgovic and, although Dubois revealed toughness to take in type June, he has actually been actually stopped two times (through Joe Joyce in 2020 and also Usyk in 2013) and was floored three times in the preliminary through Kevin Lerena just before recouping to succeed in Round 3. But it is no stroll in the park for Joshua, that also needs to have to recognize Dubois' power. Dubois made a mess of Hrgovic's skin and also may potentially manage a surprise stoppage versus Joshua, similar to Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. But Joshua, who ruled as champion from 2016 to 2019 and then coming from 2019 to 2021, is actually more probable to win this fight through KO.-- Parkinson.