Having racked up three straight early knockouts, Erickson Lubin sought an opportunity to showcase his improved boxing skills.
The young junior middleweight contender found that in a game late replacement opponent in Nathaniel Gallimore, whom he outpointed over 10 rounds Saturday evening at Santander Arena in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Scores were 99-91 across the board for Lubin, who was originally due to face longtime out-of-ring rival Terrell Gausha who withdrew earlier in the month due to injury.
"I had a tremendous training camp thanks to Kevin Cunningham,” Lubin noted of the veteran trainer who joined his team last June. “At first we had Terrell Gausha but he fell out due to an injury. I don’t know what happened, I think he’s pregnant or something.
“I appreciate Gallimore for stepping up to the plate. He gave me a tough fight and I appreciate it. We gave the fans what they wanted. I measured him. I just timed him and I was able to land my power shows.
The opening round didn’t quite fit the pre-fight tone, where both had to be physically separated during their heated staredown following Friday’s weigh-in. Calmer heads prevailed in round one of the main event, much to the chagrin of the modest but thirsty crowd on hand as boos began to rain down. Lubin—who landed 137 of 471 punches, including 91 of 215 power shots—worked behind his jab, an effective weapon in keeping the taller and longer Gallimore on the outside.
Gallimore inched closer in round two, though still with action not quite where it needed to be. That changed in a big way in round three, when Gallimore connected with a right hand to force Lubin’s back to the ropes.
The Orlando-born and bred southpaw maneuvered out of harm’s way, firing back with straight left hands in a sudden shift from boxer to aggressor. Gallimore responded in kind, luring Lubin to center ring where he planted his feet and landed a straight right hand.
A major momentum shift came early in round four, one which began with a right hook to briefly rock Gallimore. The power surge was interrupted when time was called to reinsert the mouthpiece of Gallimore, who came out firing after the break but unable to match the pace or ferocity of his foe.
"Lubin was slick and I just couldn't get my punches off;” admitted Chicago’s Gallimore, who accepted the fight on less than four weeks’ notice. “He was the better man tonight but I will be back and better. I was never hurt during the fight. We bumped legs a couple times and he was able to land a couple shots while I was off balance. It's always difficult to fight a southpaw.”
Lubin continued on the attack in round five, standing his ground and connecting with crisp left hands. Gallimore was losing rounds but never out of any given exchange as he would land the occasional straight right from long range. It was his best effort to remind his younger foe of his punching power, while Lubin’s response was to showcase his superior boxing skills in mixing up his attack.
A combination by Lubin punctuated a landslide round six, one which ended with Gallimore electing to trash talk his opponent. It was a common occurrence at the end of several rounds, an odd tactic since it would come often as he was on the receiving end of the more effective punches landed.
Lubin boxed smartly in the second half of the fight, connecting with a left in round eight and circling the outside of the ring as Gallimore just missed with a right hand counter. Gallimore would have far better moments in the round, slipping Lubin’s left hand and finding the mark with straight rights.
It was as close as the fight would come to a major change in tide. Lubin resumed control down the stretch in extending his current four fight win streak.
"I thought I boxed really well,” noted Lubin, who improves to 22-1 (16KOs). “We stuck to the game plan. We drew the game plan up in camp and we executed.
“I knew he was tough and his game plan was to rough me up. I wasn't going to fall into his game plan. I have good power and I used my boxing ability. That really helped me.”
Gallimore falls to 21-4-1 (17KOs), as he has now lost three of his last four starts.
“I could have done more but I kept fighting to the end just like I always will,” stated Gallimore, who connected on just 66 of 419 total punches. “It just wasn't my night.”
The knockout streak ends at three but Lubin continues to grow following his lone career loss, a shocking 1st round knockout to then-unbeaten junior middleweight titlist Jermell Charlo in Oct. 2017. Saturday’s win marked just the second time in his career in which he’s fought past six rounds, the lone other occasion also going 10 rounds in a Jan. 2016 decision win over Jose de Jesus Macias.
“I’m ready for anyone,” insists Lubin, who aims for a second title fight in 2020.
The bout aired live on Showtime.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
