Erickson Lubin Finally Has New 2/6 Opponent, Quintanilla

By Jake Donovan

Erickson Lubin was always going to be on the February 6 edition of ESPN2 Friday Night Fights. The question remained whom he would face, until Wednesday evening, when a long and exhausting search ended with the finalization of the co-feature slot.

The uber-talented 19-year old prospect will face Mexico’s Rodolfo Quintanilla in a scheduled eight-round super welterweight bout. Headlining the show—which takes place at Beau Rivage Casino in Biloxi, Miss.—is a 12-round regional title fight between Sergio Mora and Abraham Han, who replaces jailed middleweight titlist Jermain Taylor.

Quintanilla accepted the assignment after the fight was turned down by several others, including Edgar Ortega who was originally announced as the opponent but who will instead likely instead resurface in March on Telemundo.

Anxious to kick off his 2015 campaign, Lubin is relieved to know he gets to fight, though looks forward to the day when he actually gets to learn a little something about an upcoming opponent.

“All I know about him is that he’s from Mexico and that he’s 14-4,” admits Lubin (8-0, 6KOs), who is coming off of an eight-round decision win over Norberto Gonzalez last November. “It was hard finding an opponent for this fight. I’m used it, though. It was the same in the amateurs. We’re fighters. We learn how to adapt in the ring. We train for that moment.”

The Orlando (FL) native was once touted as the best amateur in the country, viewed as a can’t miss target to medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Those plans changed when he instead decided to turn pro, signing with the then-newly formed Iron Mike Productions on his 18th birthday in Oct. ’13.

From there, his career took off and running, fighting that following November in his pro debut and then seven more times in an active 2014 campaign.

The showdown with Quintanilla will take place in the super welterweight division, his third straight fight in the weight class after having turned pro as a welterweight.

“I’m still growing, and moved up to 154 for this fight. I couldn’t make 147 this time. I plan to make 147 again, and I will fight at 154. I’m still growing and can wind up at 160, 168, maybe even 175 one day. I want every weight class.”

For now, Lubin just wants to get in the ring on February 6 and begin the year with a bang.

“I didn’t get the knockout last time I fought,” said Lubin. “So, we’re going to get it on February 6. It’s going to be a great year for me.”

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox