Notebook: Lubin can shake underachiever label by beating Ortiz
Donaire to challenge for bantamweight title; Beterbiev confirms free agency; new deal for Shields; Quick hits; Show and tell
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When Erickson Lubin signed his first professional contract in 2013 with Iron Mike Productions, the now-defunct promotional company for which Mike Tyson was a figurehead, he did so on his 18th birthday.
Most viewed Lubin as a lock to make the 2016 U.S. Olympic team so when he elected to turn pro it took many by surprise. But from Day 1, Lubin, who was 143-7 as an amateur, was a heralded prospect. Expectations were high that he would become a world champion and dominant figure in the ring.
He fought his way into the rankings and he was tabbed as the 2016 ESPN prospect of the year.
A dozen years into his pro career Lubin has become a stalwart contender but has not been able to separate himself from the pack and win a world title.
He crashed and burned in his first shot. He was 18-0 but too young and inexperience when he was rushed into a fight when then-WBC junior middleweight titlist Jermell Charlo and suffered a harsh first-round knockout.
He rebounded with six wins in a row, including against good competition — former titleholder Ishe Smith, former U.S. Olympian Terrell Gausha and former unified titleholder Jeison Rosario.
The win over Rosario paved the way for a fight with Sebastian Fundora for the vacant WBC interim title. It was a rousing 2022 fight of the year contender in which they exchanged knockdowns before the fight was stopped with a busted up Lubin on his stool after the ninth round.
It was another hard loss for Lubin, who has won three fights in a row since to once again position himself for a chance to win a version of a 154-pound belt when he challenges WBC interim titlist Vergil Ortiz Jr. in the main event of a Golden Boy Promotions card on Saturday (DAZN, 8 p.m. ET) at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, a home area fight for Grand Prairie, Texas, native Ortiz.
The ups and downs have steeled Lubin for this moment but he candidly admitted he has not lived up to his considerable hype and potential.