FIGHT WEEK
A capsulized look at the coming week in boxing.
ERICKSON LUBIN (22-1, 16 KOs)
VS. TERRELL GAUSHA (21-1-1, 10 KOs)
When: Saturday, Sept. 19
Where: Uncasville, Conn.
TV: Showtime
Division: Junior middleweight
At stake: No titles
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Tugstsogt Nyambayar vs. Eduardo Ramirez, featherweights; Jaron Ennis vs. Juan Carlos Abreu, welterweights
Prediction: Lubin UD
Background: The talented Lubin stumbled badly when he was stopped by Jermell Charlo in the first round in October 2017. However, he has won four consecutive fights since — including victories over Ishe Smith and Nathaniel Gallimore — to rebuild his status as a welterweight contender. He’s ranked No. 1 by the WBC, whose titleholder is Charlo, and No. 4 by the WBA. Charlo faces Jeison Rosario in a title-unification fought a week after Lubin faces Gausha. Gausha was scheduled to fight Lubin on Oct. 26 but had to pull out because of a hand injury. The hand has healed. The capable 2012 U.S. Olympian is hoping to stay in the championship mix. He’s 1-1-1 in his last three fights, a unanimous, but competitive decision loss to Erislandy Lara, a first-round KO of Joey Hernandez and a split draw with Austin Trout in May of last year. He will have been out of the ring for 16 months.
JOSE PEDRAZA (27-3, 13 KOs)
VS. JAVIER MOLINA (22-2, 9 KOs)
When: Saturday, Sept. 19
Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
TV: ESPN+
Division: Junior welterweight
At stake: No titles
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Efe Ajagba vs. Jonnie Rice, heavyweights
Prediction: Molina UD
Background: Both fighters recently reestablished their credentials as potential contenders. Pedraza bounced back from decision losses to Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jose Zepeda in 2018 and last year by dominating capable Mikkel LesPierre en route to winning a near-shutout decision in July. The Puerto Rican looked like the two-division titleholder of old. Molina, a 2008 U.S. Olympian, returned in 2018 from a 2½-year hiatus after a loss to Jamal James and has won five in a row, including an impressive unanimous-decision upset of former title older Amir Imam on Feb. 22 which resurrected hopes that he might realize his potential after turning 30. The winner could step into the sanctioning-body rankings. The loser could be in trouble.