Few expected Featherweight belt-holder Steven Luevano to reach this point. HBO main event. Five successful defenses of a world title.

But here he is, two days before the biggest fight of his professional career, ready to hit center stage.

The California native takes on Juan Manuel Lopez on Saturday in a Featherweight title contest from the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden. It will be the main event on an HBO "Boxing After Dark" card. Lopez is the latest in a long line of Puerto Rican champions to emerge from the island nation. In his first bout since vacating his Junior Featherweight belt, Lopez is looking to snag a second title belt in as many weight classes.

This is designed to be another Lopez triumph. In order for that to pass, he must outlast his steady, blue-collar opponent.

Steady is the way to best describe Luevano. He is a methodical sort, the type of cebebral pugilist who will choose to box or slug depending on the situation. Outside the ring, he is a thoughtful,well-spoken young man. There is no pontificating from him or his team, which includes manager Cameron Dunkin and trainer Eduardo Garcia.

"Come Saturday, if he's underestimating me thinking he has an easy fight, he has something else coming," Luevano told a group of reporters at Thursday's pre-fight press conference.

You can't blame Luevano for using the "underestimating" card as a source of motivation. When Top Rank signed him nearly a decade ago, he was an afterthought. His cousin, Marshall Martinez, was the highly touted amateur Top Rank craved. Luevano came as part of the package.  Martinez's promising career has been stalled by legal issues, while his far less touted cousin continued to win.

There does not appear to be a chip on his shoulder. When discussing his mostly headline-free boxing career, Luevano takes the lack of credit in stride.

"I've been underestimated since the amateurs," Luevano said. "Nobody thought I would get as far as I did. That's just the way it is, I guess."

In a 39-fight career, Luevano has bucked the odds. Despite winning his first 29 bouts, Luevano never carried the label of a "sure thing." Even after knocking out Nicky Cook in 2007 to win the Featherweight belt he still holds, the respect never came. He remained on the undercard of Top Rank pay-per-views, defending his belt in virtual anonymity.

He will be the headliner on Saturday, where he is a massive underdog to retain his belt. Lopez, despite being severely hurt in the 11th and 12th rounds of his last fight against Rogers Mtagwa, has the look of a superstar. His smooth southpaw style and two-fisted power has befuddled seasoned professionals. Luevano, however, feels he has the tools and strategy to unnerve Lopez.

"He's a slugger," Luevano said. He likes to come in there and make a fight. I'm just gonna keep him at my range. I have a longer reach."

When asked about his plan, Luevano took some cues from Lopez's near-disaster against Mtagwa.

"Take him into the later rounds because it looks like he fades away," Luevano said.

After nearly ten years and 39 professional fights, the forgotten kid has yet to fade away. Few expected it to be that way. And that's just the way Steven Luevano likes it.