By Jake Donovan
There has been no rest for welterweight prodigy Erickson Lubin. Through two fights as a pro, the 18-year old had to work through the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, but pales in comparison to his upcoming workload.
As previously reported by Boxingscene.com’s David Greisman, Lubin (2-0, 2KO) is scheduled to return to the ring on February 7, followed by planned ring appearances on February 22 and March 7. His fight on February 7 will come against 30-fight veteran Roberto Acevedo, which will air on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fight series live from Chicago.
Lubin made his televised debut earlier this month, which also came on ESPN2. The Florida native needed just over a minute to get rid of previously unbeaten Luis Santiago (4-0 at the time), in a bout that served as part of the 2014 season premiere of Friday Night Fights in Minneapolis.
“Fighting on TV was a blessing, and it’s an honor to return to ESPN,” said Lubin, once the nation’s top amateur. Even at just 17 years old, the welterweight was already being tabbed as the United States’ best hope at capturing a Gold medal in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
With those games three years away, Lubin instead opted to go pro, signing with Iron Mike Productions on his 18th birthday last October. His first pro fight came one month later, on the undercard of a show in south Florida featuring 2012 Olympic heavyweight Dominic Brezeale and headlined by the ring return of former light heavyweight champ Antonio Tarver.
Just two months later, Lubin is two fights and two 1st round knockouts deep into his career, with three more on tap in the span of just 29 days. The rate of activity is reminiscent of the most famous face in his corner.
“Mike Tyson fought 15 times in his first year as a pro,” Henry Rivalta, Lubin’s manager points out of the face of Iron Mike Productions. “It showed great results, and he had another 11 fights in his 2nd year before ending with his first world championship knocking out Trevor Berbick that same year.
“He and Garry Jonas (CEO of Iron Mike Productions) are doing a great job keeping him active. We are not in a hurry with Erickson to rush him to the title. It’s just nice to have an active fighter and I’m grateful for guys like Brian Kweder (Senior Director of Programming and Acquisitions at ESPN) wiling to showcase the best up-and-coming fighter in boxing.”
The February 7 appearance will mark Lubin’s second trip in frigid Midwestern United States. If the other targeted locations hold true, then the cold weather tour will continue with scheduled stops in Bethlehem, PA and Washington D.C. Wherever he fights, he plans to be red hot in the ring – and remaining forever grateful before and after each ring appearance.
“I just thank God every night for granting me the opportunity to do what I love,” Lubin humbly expresses. “I’m ready to do what I love, on February 7 when I get in there with Roberto Acevedo.”
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