In the same week that Gervonta “Tank” Davis declared boxing “dead” while preparing for an exhibition against a man nearly twice his size, Erickson Lubin moved nearer a fight date that only the heartiest fighters would consider.
Taking on unbeaten, heavy-hitting WBC junior middleweight interim titleholder Vergil Ortiz Jnr on Ortiz’s home turf in Texas, Lubin, 27-2 (19 KOs), is approaching his 30th birthday with this November 8 DAZN bout from Fort Worth, Texas, as a telling reveal of who he is.
“It just shows Lubin has no fear,” former world belt holder Chris Algieri said on an episode of ProBoxTV’s “BoxingScene Today” that followed Lubin and Ortiz’s news conference alongside promoter Oscar De La Hoya. “His mindset is, ‘If I’m going to be a world champion, I have to fight whoever’s in front of me. He’s a matchmaker’s dream.”
Florida’s Lubin has lost only to former undisputed 154lbs champion Jermell Charlo and current WBC titlist Sebastian Fundora. His current winning streak includes a victory over promising Premier Boxing Champions contender Jesus Ramos Jnr, and earned him a shot at IBF titleholder Bakhram Murtazaliev.
When De La Hoya came with more than double the money and a more popular fighter who is more avoided than Russia’s Murtazaliev, Lubin went for it.
“Literally every champion at 154 is running or ducking from Vergil Ortiz – you should be ashamed,” De La Hoya scolded. “Not Erickson Lubin.”
In meeting his third consecutive unbeaten foe, Lubin has proven “he’s battle-tested,” ProBoxTV analyst and former world titlist Paulie Malignaggi said. “This not a step down. … Not a lot have wanted to see [Murtazaliev and Ortiz]. Erickson always goes against the grain, takes what he wants and shows desire.
“It’s par for the course. He wants to look the part and be the part. Some fighters know they have to look themselves in the mirror, have a backbone and show that self-respect. He’s a world-class fighter with self-accountability.”
Contrasted with WBA lightweight belt holder Gervonta Davis’ reaction to the criticism that he is absorbed by pausing (or rejecting) a rematch with junior lightweight titlist Lamont Roach Jnr following their March 1 draw, Lubin is doing anything but playing it safe and is obsessing on the cash value of his appearances.
“To take another loss is risky … but a win here sends Lubin right into title contention,” Algieri said. “He’s being fearless, and his handlers are being smart.”
It also says something about Ortiz, who would love to stand as a champion but doesn’t have a taker yet from Fundora, Murtazaliev or new WBO belt holder Xander Zayas.
“Vergil Ortiz understands the puzzle of Erickson – he can box and move and bang. There’s not a lot lining up to fight him,” Algieri said.
Ortiz has returning Trainer of the Year Robert Garcia in his corner and is coming off rugged tests in defeating both Serhii Bohachuk and former WBA titleholder Israil Madrimov.
“A dangerous fighter with intellect, experience and power,” Algieri said of Ortiz. “They understand tactical, smart, savvy opponents. It’s going to be a great fight.
“And Erickson can be in wars and stalk a guy, slowing down a puncher like Ramos.”
Malignaggi said it’s worth considering how ominous Ortiz is noting that Bohachuk seemed lesser from his bruising defeat while losing for a second time to 36-year-old Brandon Adams earlier this month.
Lubin made a point of saying how disrespected he felt from the fight poster that shows Ortiz looming over him. That secondary treatment should be reinforced by the home-crowd and home-network advantages Ortiz will enjoy on fight night.
“The way these things get resolved is by winning,” Malignaggi said. “It’s an unforgiving business. People move on quick from [a losing fighter]. You’ve got to be able to be in there and win it.”
Said Algieri: “Erickson’s a warrior, and Vergil’s coming through the front door. Lubin can punch. He was a first-class, blue-chip prospect and he’s got to sell out because the implications of a loss are big.
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
In Texas that night, one week before the Davis exhibition versus cruiserweight Jake Paul, Lubin will give boxing his all, banking on the notion that the sport and his aspirations have never been more alive.
Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.
