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Erickson Lubin was so close to earning his second shot at a world title, he could essentially taste it. After having a disastrous showing against Jermell Charlo in 2017, the Florida native dusted himself off and began to wreak havoc on the rest of the junior middleweight division.
Ostensibly, six consecutive victories were enough to push Lubin past a long list of contenders. Though he could’ve bided his time on the sidelines and waited for a rematch against Charlo to develop, the incredibly talented 27-year-old opted against inactivity. Instead, a contract to take on the towering Sebastian Fundora slid across his desk.
With little to no hesitation, Lubin (24-2, 17 KOs) gleefully signed his name on the name dotted line. Ultimately, despite dropping Fundora in the seventh round, the former WBC Silver champion saw his win streak crash and burn via ninth-round stoppage.
Still, even with his recent shortcomings, Lubin is ranked fairly highly in each of the four sanctioning bodies. But while he could work his way back up the 154-pound ladder, Lubin is being intrinsically drawn to the possibilities that could be afforded to him in the middleweight division.
“It looks wide open to me,” said Lubin to Boxingscene.com. “160 looks wide open.”
The landscape six pounds north is a muddy and bemusing picture. Jermall Charlo, the division’s WBC champion, has remained out of the ring for nearly two full years. Janibek Alimkhanuly, the newly minted WBO titlist, is still attempting to solidify himself as one of the division’s mainstays. Gennadiy Golovkin, the remaining trinket holder, may have relinquished his IBF crown but the 40-year-old is still holding firm to his WBA title.
Considering the uncertainty that remains at 160 pounds, Lubin strongly believes that he’ll not only fit right in but more than anything, his championship dreams could very well come to fruition. Be that as it may, Lubin’s flag will remain in the junior middleweight division…for now.
“I feel like I can beat anyone of those dudes that’s at the top of 160 but 154 is where I’m campaigning at.”