On March 2nd at the Turning Stone Casino in New York, IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez is set to defend his title against mandatory challenger Reiya Abe in a showdown that will be televised on ESPN. Lopez, with a record of 29-2 and 16 knockouts, earned his spot as the No. 2 featherweight contender according to The Ring, despite setbacks in decisions against Abraham Montoya (SD 10) and Ruben Villa (UD 10). However, he bounced back, securing victories in nine consecutive fights. Notably, he defeated Cristian Baez (TKO 5), Gabriel Flores Jr. (UD 10), and Isaac Lowe (KO 7), earning him the IBF mandatory challenger position against Josh Warrington. Lopez seized the opportunity, clinching the title from Warrington (MD 12) in the defending champion’s hometown. He then ventured to Belfast, Michael Conlan’s territory, and surprised everyone by stopping the Irishman in five rounds. Lopez solidified his reign by successfully defending against Joet Gonzalez (UD 12). Abe, rated at No. 9 by The Ring in the featherweight division, had a modest start to his professional career following an unremarkable amateur stint. Despite early setbacks, including losses against Taiki Minamoto (D 10) and Ryo Sagawa (UD 10) in attempts to secure the Japanese national title, Abe persevered. He eventually claimed the belt by outpointing Hinata Muruta in May 2022. After defending his title against Jinki Maeda (MD 12), Abe took on seasoned former two-weight titleholder Kiko Martinez in an IBF eliminator and emerged victorious (UD 12), earning his shot at the IBF featherweight championship against Lopez.