Erickson Lubin has used his knockout loss to Jermell Charlo as fuel to soar to new heights.
Could a one-punch, first-round knockout loss be a good thing for a fighter? In Erickson Lubin’s case, maybe so.
Lubin had just turned 22 years old when he lasted only 2 minutes, 41 seconds against 154-pound titleholder Jermell Charlo in October 2017, the result of a crushing right hand from which he couldn’t recover.
Four-plus years later he’s not only a step away from his second opportunity to fight for a major belt – perhaps against the winner of Charlo-Brian Castano II – but he also has earned added respect for his ability to bounce back from disaster.
“I’m the poster child for all the young guys facing adversity, how to come back from a loss,” said Lubin, who is scheduled to face Sebastian Fundora in a title eliminator on April 9 in Las Vegas (Showtime).
Erickson Lubin faces Sebastian Fundora on April 9 for the right to fight for a 154-pound world title. Team Lubin / MJS Entertainment
Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) said the loss had no impact on his confidence in spite of its brutal nature. “Never,” he said when asked whether his belief in himself wavered.
The setback also hardened his focus on his boxing career, he said. He understood better than ever the sacrifices he would have to make to become a world champion. That included moving his camp from his native Orlando to West Palm Beach, Florida, where trainer Kevin Cunningham has refined his all-around game.
The results make that clear. He’s 6-0 since the loss, including impressive victories over big-time opponents Ishe Smith, Nathaniel Gallimore, Terrell Gausha and, most recently, former titleholder Jeison Rosario.
That’s why the worst night of his career might’ve been a boon in the long run.
“Honestly, it might’ve been a blessing in disguise,” he said. “People have told me that. And it’s growing on him a little bit. It was a lesson learned that changed my life. … It made me change things up. To be the best, you gotta make sacrifices. That’s what I did.
“I moved away from my hometown, got a new trainer. That’s why I’m here today, No. 1 in the WBC and basically No. 1 in the division.”
Of course, some observers with long memories will continue to doubt Lubin.
Once a fighter suffers the fate he did against Charlo many wonder whether it will happen again. Lubin recognizes that. All he can do is continue to win and ultimately get that title belt wrapped around his waist, which is all that matters.
“Certain people still got things to say, still doubt me,” he said. “I’m going to continue to prove myself inside the ring. If they doubt me, so be it. I believe in what I have going on. My job is to go in the ring and take care of business every time out.
“Once you prove yourself, you have to prove yourself again and again and again. That’s how boxing works.”
Erickson Lubin has used his knockout loss to Jermell Charlo as fuel to soar to new heights.
Could a one-punch, first-round knockout loss be a good thing for a fighter? In Erickson Lubin’s case, maybe so.
Lubin had just turned 22 years old when he lasted only 2 minutes, 41 seconds against 154-pound titleholder Jermell Charlo in October 2017, the result of a crushing right hand from which he couldn’t recover.
Four-plus years later he’s not only a step away from his second opportunity to fight for a major belt – perhaps against the winner of Charlo-Brian Castano II – but he also has earned added respect for his ability to bounce back from disaster.
“I’m the poster child for all the young guys facing adversity, how to come back from a loss,” said Lubin, who is scheduled to face Sebastian Fundora in a title eliminator on April 9 in Las Vegas (Showtime).
Erickson Lubin faces Sebastian Fundora on April 9 for the right to fight for a 154-pound world title. Team Lubin / MJS Entertainment
Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) said the loss had no impact on his confidence in spite of its brutal nature. “Never,” he said when asked whether his belief in himself wavered.
The setback also hardened his focus on his boxing career, he said. He understood better than ever the sacrifices he would have to make to become a world champion. That included moving his camp from his native Orlando to West Palm Beach, Florida, where trainer Kevin Cunningham has refined his all-around game.
The results make that clear. He’s 6-0 since the loss, including impressive victories over big-time opponents Ishe Smith, Nathaniel Gallimore, Terrell Gausha and, most recently, former titleholder Jeison Rosario.
That’s why the worst night of his career might’ve been a boon in the long run.
“Honestly, it might’ve been a blessing in disguise,” he said. “People have told me that. And it’s growing on him a little bit. It was a lesson learned that changed my life. … It made me change things up. To be the best, you gotta make sacrifices. That’s what I did.
“I moved away from my hometown, got a new trainer. That’s why I’m here today, No. 1 in the WBC and basically No. 1 in the division.”
Of course, some observers with long memories will continue to doubt Lubin.
Once a fighter suffers the fate he did against Charlo many wonder whether it will happen again. Lubin recognizes that. All he can do is continue to win and ultimately get that title belt wrapped around his waist, which is all that matters.
“Certain people still got things to say, still doubt me,” he said. “I’m going to continue to prove myself inside the ring. If they doubt me, so be it. I believe in what I have going on. My job is to go in the ring and take care of business every time out.
“Once you prove yourself, you have to prove yourself again and again and again. That’s how boxing works.”
Sebastian Fundora is on the precipice of something huge after only 19 professional fights. And that was the plan. The 6-foot-6 junior middleweight contender is scheduled to face Erickson Lubin on April 9 in Los Angeles (Showtime), with the winner …
Sebastian Fundora is on the precipice of something huge after only 19 professional fights. And that was the plan.
The 6-foot-6 junior middleweight contender is scheduled to face Erickson Lubin on April 9 in Los Angeles (Showtime), with the winner becoming the WBC’s mandatory challenger. A showdown for the undisputed championship against the winner of the May 14 Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano rematch could come next.
“We’re at the right place at the right time,” Fundora, 24, told Boxing Junkie. “I felt like that my whole career. In my 10th fight, I would be fighting on TV. In my 15th fight, I would be in the rankings. And around my 20th fight, this is where I thought I’d be.
“My dad [and trainer] would say I’d be 24, 25 [years old] when I’d be fighting for a title.”
— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) March 27, 2022
That doesn’t mean Fundora (18-0-1, 12 KOs) is unusually excited going into the biggest fight of his career. At least he doesn’t show it.
He was asked whether it’s fair to call his fight against Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) the biggest test of his young career and he responded, “I suppose.” That’s as demonstrative as he gets.
He has already fought on nationwide television multiple times, including his unanimous-decision victory over Sergio Garcia on the Dec. 5 Gervonta Davis-Isaac Cruz pay-per-view card in Los Angeles.
To him, the fight with No. 1-ranked Lubin feels like more of the same. He’s No. 2.
“I feel good about this just like the rest of them,” he said. “No pressure. I take each fight as they come, step by step. Each step is planned and everything. We take it as we go. … These last places I fought, Staples Center and Cowboys Stadium, those were just as exciting. I wasn’t fighting for a title but they were eliminators as well.
“It’s always exciting but this is my life. I know what comes with it.”
Not even provocative comments from Lubin’s trainer, Kevin Cunningham, could get Fundora worked up.
Cunningham said he saw weaknesses in Fundora’s defense that his fighter could exploit. And Cunningham compared the matchup to the classic Marvin Hagler-Thomas Hearns fight, suggesting that the fans will most likely see a knockout.
“He can say whatever he wants,” Fundora said. “I can see a knockout … maybe not in their direction. We’ll see how the fight plays out. Not every fight is a knockout, but we’ll win this fight.”
If he does, he hopes it will lead directly to a showdown with the Charlo-Castano winner for all four major 154-pound belts.
Fundora and Co. didn’t exactly plan to become an undisputed champion in his 21st fight – which would instantaneously make him one of the most-significant stars in the sport – but he’d happily take it.
Of course, he takes even that prospect in stride.
“I really hope so,” he said in a matter-of-face tone. “I’ve been going [up] the rankings. The last one was No. 2. Now I’m fighting No. 1. And I’ll be champion after that. Whoever wins [the Charlo-Castano] fight, hopefully I’ll get him next.”
Sebastian Fundora is on the precipice of something huge after only 19 professional fights. And that was the plan. The 6-foot-6 junior middleweight contender is scheduled to face Erickson Lubin on April 9 in Los Angeles (Showtime), with the winner …
Sebastian Fundora is on the precipice of something huge after only 19 professional fights. And that was the plan.
The 6-foot-6 junior middleweight contender is scheduled to face Erickson Lubin on April 9 in Los Angeles (Showtime), with the winner becoming the WBC’s mandatory challenger. A showdown for the undisputed championship against the winner of the May 14 Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano rematch could come next.
“We’re at the right place at the right time,” Fundora, 24, told Boxing Junkie. “I felt like that my whole career. In my 10th fight, I would be fighting on TV. In my 15th fight, I would be in the rankings. And around my 20th fight, this is where I thought I’d be.
“My dad [and trainer] would say I’d be 24, 25 [years old] when I’d be fighting for a title.”
— Premier Boxing Champions (@premierboxing) March 27, 2022
That doesn’t mean Fundora (18-0-1, 12 KOs) is unusually excited going into the biggest fight of his career. At least he doesn’t show it.
He was asked whether it’s fair to call his fight against Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) the biggest test of his young career and he responded, “I suppose.” That’s as demonstrative as he gets.
He has already fought on nationwide television multiple times, including his unanimous-decision victory over Sergio Garcia on the Dec. 5 Gervonta Davis-Isaac Cruz pay-per-view card in Los Angeles.
To him, the fight with No. 1-ranked Lubin feels like more of the same. He’s No. 2.
“I feel good about this just like the rest of them,” he said. “No pressure. I take each fight as they come, step by step. Each step is planned and everything. We take it as we go. … These last places I fought, Staples Center and Cowboys Stadium, those were just as exciting. I wasn’t fighting for a title but they were eliminators as well.
“It’s always exciting but this is my life. I know what comes with it.”
Not even provocative comments from Lubin’s trainer, Kevin Cunningham, could get Fundora worked up.
Cunningham said he saw weaknesses in Fundora’s defense that his fighter could exploit. And Cunningham compared the matchup to the classic Marvin Hagler-Thomas Hearns fight, suggesting that the fans will most likely see a knockout.
“He can say whatever he wants,” Fundora said. “I can see a knockout … maybe not in their direction. We’ll see how the fight plays out. Not every fight is a knockout, but we’ll win this fight.”
If he does, he hopes it will lead directly to a showdown with the Charlo-Castano winner for all four major 154-pound belts.
Fundora and Co. didn’t exactly plan to become an undisputed champion in his 21st fight – which would instantaneously make him one of the most-significant stars in the sport – but he’d happily take it.
Of course, he takes even that prospect in stride.
“I really hope so,” he said in a matter-of-face tone. “I’ve been going [up] the rankings. The last one was No. 2. Now I’m fighting No. 1. And I’ll be champion after that. Whoever wins [the Charlo-Castano] fight, hopefully I’ll get him next.”
Errol Spence Jr.-Yordenis Ugas and Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano II highlight the Showtime/PBC spring and summer schedule.
Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions announced its spring and summer schedule today.
It features nine events spread over five months, including two title-unification main events and 21 undefeated fighters.
Here are the nine cards:
Tim Tszyu vs. Terrell Gausha
Date: March 26 / Minneapolis Division: Junior middleweight At stake: No major titles Background: Tszyu, the son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, will be making his U.S. debut against the 2012 U.S Olympian in a battle of junior middleweight contenders. Tszyu (20-0, 15 KOs) is on the cusp of becoming a star. Gausha (22-2-1, 11 KOs), who has fallen short in his biggest fights, is in a do-or-die situation. Also fighting: Michel Rivera vs. Joseph Adorno, lightweights; Elvis Rodriguez vs. Juan Jose Velasco, junior welterweight (142 pounds).
Erickson Lubin vs. Sebastian Fundora
Date / location: April 9 / Las Vegas Division: Junior middleweight At stake: No major titles Background: Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) has surged back to prominence by winning six in a row since he was stopped by Jermell Charlo in 2017. Fundora (18-0-1, 12 KOs), a 6-foot-6 154-pounder who loves to fight inside, faces his biggest test in this fight. The winner should fight for a title next. Also fighting: Tony Harrison vs. Sergio Garcia, junior middleweights; Kevin Salgado vs. Bryant Perrella, junior middleweights.
Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugas Date / location: April 16 / Arlington, Texas At stake: Spence’s IBF and WBC, and Ugas’ WBA titles Background: This matchup with unify three of the four major 147-pound titles. Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) bounced back from his car accident to outpoint Danny Garcia in December 2020 only to then suffer a detached retina. He says he’s 100% now. Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs) retired Manny Pacquiao by decision last August. Also fighting: Radzhab Butaev vs. Eimantas Stanionis, welterweights; Brandun Lee vs. Zachary Ochoa, junior welterweights.
Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano II
Date / location: May 14 / Los Angeles Division: Junior middleweight At stake: Charlo’s IBF, WBA and WBC, and Castano’s WBO titles Background: Charlo (34-1-1, 18 KOs) and Castano (17-0-2, 12 KOs) will be attending to unfinished business after fighting to a spirited draw this past July in San Antonio. Most observers see this as a 50-50 fight between arguably the two best 154-pounders, which is appropriate because it’s for the undisputed championship. Also fighting: Jaron Ennis vs. Custio Clayton, welterweights.
David Benavidez vs. David Lemieux
Date / location: May 21 / Phoenix Division: Super middleweight At stake: No major titles Background: Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs), a two-time titleholder, will be a significant favorite in this battle between two of the biggest punchers pound-for-pound in the sport. They have a combined 58 knockouts in 68 victories. Lemieux (43-4, 36 KOs) will be fighting to remain an elite fighter. Also fighting: Yoelvis Gomez vs. Jorge Cota, junior middleweight.
Gervonta Davis vs. Rolando Romero
Date / location: May 28 / Brooklyn, New York Division: Lightweight At stake: No major titles Background: Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) was supposed to have fought Romero (14-0, 12 KOs) last December but was pulled from the card amid sexual assault allegations, for which he ultimately wasn’t charged. Davis survived a scare in a close decision over Romero’s replacement Isaac Cruz. Romero KO’d Anthony Yigit in July.
Stephen Fulton Jr. vs. Danny Roman
Date / location: Division: Junior lightweight At stake: Fulton’s WBC and WBO titles Background: This is a matchup of two outstanding technicians. Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs) eked out a majority decision over brawler Brandon Figueroa in November. Roman (29-3-1, 10 KOs) bounced back from a disputed split-decision loss to titleholder Murodjon Akhmadalive by outpointing Juan Carlos Payano and Ricardo Espinoza Franco. Also fighting: David Morrell vs. Kalvin Henderson, super middleweights.
Jermall Charlo vs. Maciej Sulecki
Date / location: June 18 / Houston Division: Middleweight At stake: Charlo’s WBC title Background: Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) was in talks to face Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia but neither fight materialized, leaving him with Sulecki (30-2, 11 KOs). Charlo is coming off a unanimous-decision victory over Juan Macias Montiel in June. Sulecki, a Pole, has won twice since he was shutout by Demetrius Andrade in 2019.
Mark Magsayo vs. Rey Vargas
Date / location: July 9 / San Antonio Division: Featherweight At stake: Magsayo’s WBC title Background: Magsayo (24-0, 16 KOs) won his belt by defeating long-reigning champion Gary Russell Jr. by a majority decision in January. Vargas (35-0, 22 KOs) is a former junior featherweight titleholder who will be fighting for his first 126-pound title.
Errol Spence Jr.-Yordenis Ugas and Jermell Charlo-Brian Castano II highlight the Showtime/PBC spring and summer schedule.
Showtime and Premier Boxing Champions announced its spring and summer schedule today.
It features nine events spread over five months, including two title-unification main events and 21 undefeated fighters.
Here are the nine cards:
Tim Tszyu vs. Terrell Gausha
Date: March 26 / Minneapolis Division: Junior middleweight At stake: No major titles Background: Tszyu, the son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tszyu, will be making his U.S. debut against the 2012 U.S Olympian in a battle of junior middleweight contenders. Tszyu (20-0, 15 KOs) is on the cusp of becoming a star. Gausha (22-2-1, 11 KOs), who has fallen short in his biggest fights, is in a do-or-die situation. Also fighting: Michel Rivera vs. Joseph Adorno, lightweights; Elvis Rodriguez vs. Juan Jose Velasco, junior welterweight (142 pounds).
Erickson Lubin vs. Sebastian Fundora
Date / location: April 9 / Las Vegas Division: Junior middleweight At stake: No major titles Background: Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) has surged back to prominence by winning six in a row since he was stopped by Jermell Charlo in 2017. Fundora (18-0-1, 12 KOs), a 6-foot-6 154-pounder who loves to fight inside, faces his biggest test in this fight. The winner should fight for a title next. Also fighting: Tony Harrison vs. Sergio Garcia, junior middleweights; Kevin Salgado vs. Bryant Perrella, junior middleweights.
Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugas Date / location: April 16 / Arlington, Texas At stake: Spence’s IBF and WBC, and Ugas’ WBA titles Background: This matchup with unify three of the four major 147-pound titles. Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) bounced back from his car accident to outpoint Danny Garcia in December 2020 only to then suffer a detached retina. He says he’s 100% now. Ugas (27-4, 12 KOs) retired Manny Pacquiao by decision last August. Also fighting: Radzhab Butaev vs. Eimantas Stanionis, welterweights; Brandun Lee vs. Zachary Ochoa, junior welterweights.
Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castano II
Date / location: May 14 / Los Angeles Division: Junior middleweight At stake: Charlo’s IBF, WBA and WBC, and Castano’s WBO titles Background: Charlo (34-1-1, 18 KOs) and Castano (17-0-2, 12 KOs) will be attending to unfinished business after fighting to a spirited draw this past July in San Antonio. Most observers see this as a 50-50 fight between arguably the two best 154-pounders, which is appropriate because it’s for the undisputed championship. Also fighting: Jaron Ennis vs. Custio Clayton, welterweights.
David Benavidez vs. David Lemieux
Date / location: May 21 / Phoenix Division: Super middleweight At stake: No major titles Background: Benavidez (25-0, 22 KOs), a two-time titleholder, will be a significant favorite in this battle between two of the biggest punchers pound-for-pound in the sport. They have a combined 58 knockouts in 68 victories. Lemieux (43-4, 36 KOs) will be fighting to remain an elite fighter. Also fighting: Yoelvis Gomez vs. Jorge Cota, junior middleweight.
Gervonta Davis vs. Rolando Romero
Date / location: May 28 / Brooklyn, New York Division: Lightweight At stake: No major titles Background: Davis (26-0, 24 KOs) was supposed to have fought Romero (14-0, 12 KOs) last December but was pulled from the card amid sexual assault allegations, for which he ultimately wasn’t charged. Davis survived a scare in a close decision over Romero’s replacement Isaac Cruz. Romero KO’d Anthony Yigit in July.
Stephen Fulton Jr. vs. Danny Roman
Date / location: Division: Junior lightweight At stake: Fulton’s WBC and WBO titles Background: This is a matchup of two outstanding technicians. Fulton (20-0, 8 KOs) eked out a majority decision over brawler Brandon Figueroa in November. Roman (29-3-1, 10 KOs) bounced back from a disputed split-decision loss to titleholder Murodjon Akhmadalive by outpointing Juan Carlos Payano and Ricardo Espinoza Franco. Also fighting: David Morrell vs. Kalvin Henderson, super middleweights.
Jermall Charlo vs. Maciej Sulecki
Date / location: June 18 / Houston Division: Middleweight At stake: Charlo’s WBC title Background: Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) was in talks to face Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia but neither fight materialized, leaving him with Sulecki (30-2, 11 KOs). Charlo is coming off a unanimous-decision victory over Juan Macias Montiel in June. Sulecki, a Pole, has won twice since he was shutout by Demetrius Andrade in 2019.
Mark Magsayo vs. Rey Vargas
Date / location: July 9 / San Antonio Division: Featherweight At stake: Magsayo’s WBC title Background: Magsayo (24-0, 16 KOs) won his belt by defeating long-reigning champion Gary Russell Jr. by a majority decision in January. Vargas (35-0, 22 KOs) is a former junior featherweight titleholder who will be fighting for his first 126-pound title.
Good, bad, worse: Gervonta Davis overcomes adversity, Vasiliy Lomachenko is back.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL741-fh_J0
Gervonta Davis didn’t just deliver another memorable knockout on Saturday in Atlanta. He overcame adversity to do it, which made it more compelling.
We all knew that Davis made a bold move by jumping up two weight classes to fight capable Mario Barrios at State Farm Arena. In spite of that, not many expected Barrios to push Davis as hard as he did before the fight ended in Round 11.
Barrios used his height, reach, ability and determination to frustrate Davis much of the fight. Even after Barrios went down twice in Round 8, he had a strong Round 9 and the fight still seemed to be in the balance.
Davis (25-0, 24 KOs) was in a tough spot, which is why Floyd Mayweather, his promoter, gave him a pep talk between rounds late in the fight.
In the end, Davis met the challenge with his not-so-secret weapon, his punching power. The southpaw essentially ended the fight with a left uppercut to the body that put Barrios (26-1, 17 KOs) down in Round 11. Barrios, badly hurt, got up, took one more shot against the ropes and the fight was stopped.
Dramatic fight, dramatic ending.
Davis showed us what he typically does, his punch accuracy, his defensive skills and his power, among other things. He added mental toughness to the mix out of necessity, which makes him a more complete fighter than we might’ve realized.
That might not be good news for those between 130 and 140 pounds.
“He has the potential to be one of the greatest ever,” Mayweather said. “When I first met ‘Tank,’ when he was 14 or 15 years old, I told him I’d make him a world champion and that you’ll be one of the best someday. I’m proud of him.”
***
BAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee06FLKlqbQ
The only thing “bad” about Vasiliy Lomachenko these days is that many seemed to have written him off after his unanimous-decision loss to Teofimo Lopez in October.
Lomachenko (15-2, 11 KOs) was strangely inactive in the first half of that fight but rallied to make it competitive, although he lost by a wide margin. Afterward, he said he entered the fight with a right-shoulder injury that affected his performance.
I don’t usually buy into excuses but I don’t believe he was lying, particularly in light of the fact he had surgery shortly afterward.
Still, the No. 1 fighter in the world according to some outlets – including Boxing Junkie – was said to be in decline at only 32 years old (now 33). Suddenly, people were talking about lightweights Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, not Lomachenko.
Well, Lomachenko demonstrated against Masayoshi Nakatani on Saturday that he’s far from finished. He outclassed his Japanese opponent, broke him down and stopped him in the ninth round.
OK, Nakatani (19-2, 13 KOs) isn’t a top-tier fighter, which limits our ability to read into Lomachenko’s performance. That said, he’s a big, strong lightweight who had knocked out Felix Verdejo in his previous fight. And he went the distance with Lopez last year.
Nakatani is a good fighter. And Lomachenko, looking much like the boxing wizard he has always been, made him look foolish for eight-plus rounds.
I hope he gets a rematch with Lopez. Who would win? I would pick Lomachenko.
***
WORSE
Erickson Lubin stopped Jeison Rosario in six rounds. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
Jeison Rosario is a living example of how success in boxing can be fleeting.
The hard-punching Dominican burst onto the world scene by stopping Julian Williams in five rounds to win two junior middleweight titles in January of last year. He was an overnight sensation, one that figured to evolve into a true star.
Then everything went south.
Jermell Charlo knocked him out in eight rounds to unify three titles last September. And on the Davis-Barrios card Saturday Erickson Lubin took him out in six as a result of body blows, giving Rosario back-to-back losses and an uncertain future.
Rosario (20-3-1, 14 KOs) probably made a mistake by jumping into a difficult fight immediately after the devastating setback against Charlo. Lubin, a first-round knockout victim of Charlo in 2017, got it right. He eased back into elite competition, a strategy that culminated in his victory on Saturday.
The damage is done, though. Is Rosario, only 26, a one-hit wonder who will fade into history? Or will he somehow overcome his back-to-back disasters and become an elite fighter again?
The former seems more likely. Rosario is a good boxer who can hurt anyone, as he demonstrated against Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs). However, he seems to have a glaring weakness: the ability to take body shots. Charlo also stopped him with a punch to the gut.
Bottom line: Rosario and his team have a lot of work to do if he hopes to become a major player again.
Lubin? Kudos to him. He demonstrated what he was made of by overcoming his setback against Charlo to reach the pinnacle of his division. He would seem to be first in line to challenge the winner of the Charlo-Brian Castano on July 17.
I wonder about his chin, particularly after he seemed to be rocked by a jab on Saturday, but his overall game is formidable. He could beat anyone at his best.
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
Barrios deserves respect after his performance on Saturday. All three judges somehow had Davis well ahead on the scorecards after 10 rounds – 97-91 (seven rounds to three), 96-92 and 96-92 – but I had it 94-94 and Davis admitted afterward that he thought he was losing late in the fight. In fact, Barrios, a significant underdog in spite of whatever size advantage he might’ve had, fought one the sports’ most-gifted stars on roughly even terms. And when things got dicey for him beginning in Round 8, when he went down twice, he demonstrated the kind of courage and resilience fans love. He certainly didn’t want to quit in the end. “Of course I wanted to continue. I got up for a reason,” Barrios said. “I told everybody that I was going to show the Azteca Warrior that I am.” I think Barrios’ stock improved in a losing cause. … The Davis-Barrios fight was unusual in one sense: It was exciting even though the principals combined to throw only 690 punches, 57.5 per round. Davis’ early frustration, the knockdowns, Barrios’ resilience and the final stoppage added up to one of the better fights of the year. …
News item: Paradigm Sports Management is suing Manny Pacquiao for alleged breach of contract, which could threaten Pacquiao’s scheduled fight against Errol Spence Jr. on Aug. 21. The company, which handles Conor McGregor, insists it had a contractual right to negotiate Pacquiao’s next two fights. Paradigm believed that Pacquiao and Mikey Garcia were near a deal to fight one another when Pacquiao, evidently working with other advisors, decided to fight Spence instead. Paradigm is seeking millions of dollars in damages and an injunction to stop the Pacquiao-Spence fight from taking place. My guess is that Pacquiao might have to pay off Paradigm but who knows? We were surprised when Tyson Fury was forced to fight Deontay Wilder a third time. … Flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez said after his knockout victory over Joel Cordova on Saturday at he wants to unify titles at 112 pounds before moving up to 115, where the likes of Roman Gonzalez and Juan Francisco Estrada reside. That probably makes sense because he probably wouldn’t get a shot at the junior bantamweight stars until next year anyway. Why not try to unify at 112 and continue to build your brand? … I was surprised to hear Showtime describe Crimea as Crimea, Russia on its telecast. The majority of the international community considers Crimea a Russian-occupied region of Ukraine.
Good, bad, worse: Gervonta Davis overcomes adversity, Vasiliy Lomachenko is back.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VL741-fh_J0
Gervonta Davis didn’t just deliver another memorable knockout on Saturday in Atlanta. He overcame adversity to do it, which made it more compelling.
We all knew that Davis made a bold move by jumping up two weight classes to fight capable Mario Barrios at State Farm Arena. In spite of that, not many expected Barrios to push Davis as hard as he did before the fight ended in Round 11.
Barrios used his height, reach, ability and determination to frustrate Davis much of the fight. Even after Barrios went down twice in Round 8, he had a strong Round 9 and the fight still seemed to be in the balance.
Davis (25-0, 24 KOs) was in a tough spot, which is why Floyd Mayweather, his promoter, gave him a pep talk between rounds late in the fight.
In the end, Davis met the challenge with his not-so-secret weapon, his punching power. The southpaw essentially ended the fight with a left uppercut to the body that put Barrios (26-1, 17 KOs) down in Round 11. Barrios, badly hurt, got up, took one more shot against the ropes and the fight was stopped.
Dramatic fight, dramatic ending.
Davis showed us what he typically does, his punch accuracy, his defensive skills and his power, among other things. He added mental toughness to the mix out of necessity, which makes him a more complete fighter than we might’ve realized.
That might not be good news for those between 130 and 140 pounds.
“He has the potential to be one of the greatest ever,” Mayweather said. “When I first met ‘Tank,’ when he was 14 or 15 years old, I told him I’d make him a world champion and that you’ll be one of the best someday. I’m proud of him.”
***
BAD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee06FLKlqbQ
The only thing “bad” about Vasiliy Lomachenko these days is that many seemed to have written him off after his unanimous-decision loss to Teofimo Lopez in October.
Lomachenko (15-2, 11 KOs) was strangely inactive in the first half of that fight but rallied to make it competitive, although he lost by a wide margin. Afterward, he said he entered the fight with a right-shoulder injury that affected his performance.
I don’t usually buy into excuses but I don’t believe he was lying, particularly in light of the fact he had surgery shortly afterward.
Still, the No. 1 fighter in the world according to some outlets – including Boxing Junkie – was said to be in decline at only 32 years old (now 33). Suddenly, people were talking about lightweights Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, not Lomachenko.
Well, Lomachenko demonstrated against Masayoshi Nakatani on Saturday that he’s far from finished. He outclassed his Japanese opponent, broke him down and stopped him in the ninth round.
OK, Nakatani (19-2, 13 KOs) isn’t a top-tier fighter, which limits our ability to read into Lomachenko’s performance. That said, he’s a big, strong lightweight who had knocked out Felix Verdejo in his previous fight. And he went the distance with Lopez last year.
Nakatani is a good fighter. And Lomachenko, looking much like the boxing wizard he has always been, made him look foolish for eight-plus rounds.
I hope he gets a rematch with Lopez. Who would win? I would pick Lomachenko.
***
WORSE
Erickson Lubin stopped Jeison Rosario in six rounds. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
Jeison Rosario is a living example of how success in boxing can be fleeting.
The hard-punching Dominican burst onto the world scene by stopping Julian Williams in five rounds to win two junior middleweight titles in January of last year. He was an overnight sensation, one that figured to evolve into a true star.
Then everything went south.
Jermell Charlo knocked him out in eight rounds to unify three titles last September. And on the Davis-Barrios card Saturday Erickson Lubin took him out in six as a result of body blows, giving Rosario back-to-back losses and an uncertain future.
Rosario (20-3-1, 14 KOs) probably made a mistake by jumping into a difficult fight immediately after the devastating setback against Charlo. Lubin, a first-round knockout victim of Charlo in 2017, got it right. He eased back into elite competition, a strategy that culminated in his victory on Saturday.
The damage is done, though. Is Rosario, only 26, a one-hit wonder who will fade into history? Or will he somehow overcome his back-to-back disasters and become an elite fighter again?
The former seems more likely. Rosario is a good boxer who can hurt anyone, as he demonstrated against Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs). However, he seems to have a glaring weakness: the ability to take body shots. Charlo also stopped him with a punch to the gut.
Bottom line: Rosario and his team have a lot of work to do if he hopes to become a major player again.
Lubin? Kudos to him. He demonstrated what he was made of by overcoming his setback against Charlo to reach the pinnacle of his division. He would seem to be first in line to challenge the winner of the Charlo-Brian Castano on July 17.
I wonder about his chin, particularly after he seemed to be rocked by a jab on Saturday, but his overall game is formidable. He could beat anyone at his best.
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
Barrios deserves respect after his performance on Saturday. All three judges somehow had Davis well ahead on the scorecards after 10 rounds – 97-91 (seven rounds to three), 96-92 and 96-92 – but I had it 94-94 and Davis admitted afterward that he thought he was losing late in the fight. In fact, Barrios, a significant underdog in spite of whatever size advantage he might’ve had, fought one the sports’ most-gifted stars on roughly even terms. And when things got dicey for him beginning in Round 8, when he went down twice, he demonstrated the kind of courage and resilience fans love. He certainly didn’t want to quit in the end. “Of course I wanted to continue. I got up for a reason,” Barrios said. “I told everybody that I was going to show the Azteca Warrior that I am.” I think Barrios’ stock improved in a losing cause. … The Davis-Barrios fight was unusual in one sense: It was exciting even though the principals combined to throw only 690 punches, 57.5 per round. Davis’ early frustration, the knockdowns, Barrios’ resilience and the final stoppage added up to one of the better fights of the year. …
News item: Paradigm Sports Management is suing Manny Pacquiao for alleged breach of contract, which could threaten Pacquiao’s scheduled fight against Errol Spence Jr. on Aug. 21. The company, which handles Conor McGregor, insists it had a contractual right to negotiate Pacquiao’s next two fights. Paradigm believed that Pacquiao and Mikey Garcia were near a deal to fight one another when Pacquiao, evidently working with other advisors, decided to fight Spence instead. Paradigm is seeking millions of dollars in damages and an injunction to stop the Pacquiao-Spence fight from taking place. My guess is that Pacquiao might have to pay off Paradigm but who knows? We were surprised when Tyson Fury was forced to fight Deontay Wilder a third time. … Flyweight titleholder Julio Cesar Martinez said after his knockout victory over Joel Cordova on Saturday at he wants to unify titles at 112 pounds before moving up to 115, where the likes of Roman Gonzalez and Juan Francisco Estrada reside. That probably makes sense because he probably wouldn’t get a shot at the junior bantamweight stars until next year anyway. Why not try to unify at 112 and continue to build your brand? … I was surprised to hear Showtime describe Crimea as Crimea, Russia on its telecast. The majority of the international community considers Crimea a Russian-occupied region of Ukraine.
Erickson Lubin stopped Jeison Rosario as result of body shots in Round 6 of their fight Saturday in Atlanta.
Erickson Lubin continues to roll.
The junior middleweight contender gave the most impressive performance of his career on the Gervonta Davis-Mario Barrios card Saturday in Atlanta, stopping former titleholder Jeison Rosario in six rounds.
The stoppage was the result of body blows midway through the final round, a left that landed somewhat below the belt and right that hurt Rosario badly.
The Dominican, in obvious pain, dropped to all fours but was able to get to his feet. Moments later, with Rosario’s back against the ropes, Lubin put Rosario down again with a straight left and he couldn’t continue.
The fight was stopped at 1:42 of Round 6.
Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) controlled the early rounds with his right jab, consistently following with power punches to both the head and body as Rosario was searching for a way to cope.
Then, in Round 4, Lubin found himself in trouble. Rosario seemed to rock him with a left jab with about 20 seconds to go in the round. He survived and then got back to work in a competitive Round 5, in which he seemed to land the cleaner punches.
And he finished the show the following round, claiming his sixth victory since he was stopped in the first round by 154-pound titleholder Jermell Charlo in October 2017.
Lubin has beaten in succession Nathaniel Galimore, Terrell Gausha and Rosario, putting him in prime position to challenge the winner of the Charlo-Brian Castano title-unification bout, which is set for July 17.
Rosario (20-3-1, 14 KOs) burst onto the scene by stopping Julian Williams in five rounds to capture a junior middleweight bout. However, he lost it by eighth-round stoppage to Charlo in his subsequent fight.
The loss on Saturday was his second in a row, which will make his climb back to title contention difficult.
Erickson Lubin stopped Jeison Rosario as result of body shots in Round 6 of their fight Saturday in Atlanta.
Erickson Lubin continues to roll.
The junior middleweight contender gave the most impressive performance of his career on the Gervonta Davis-Mario Barrios card Saturday in Atlanta, stopping former titleholder Jeison Rosario in six rounds.
The stoppage was the result of body blows midway through the final round, a left that landed somewhat below the belt and right that hurt Rosario badly.
The Dominican, in obvious pain, dropped to all fours but was able to get to his feet. Moments later, with Rosario’s back against the ropes, Lubin put Rosario down again with a straight left and he couldn’t continue.
The fight was stopped at 1:42 of Round 6.
Lubin (24-1, 17 KOs) controlled the early rounds with his right jab, consistently following with power punches to both the head and body as Rosario was searching for a way to cope.
Then, in Round 4, Lubin found himself in trouble. Rosario seemed to rock him with a left jab with about 20 seconds to go in the round. He survived and then got back to work in a competitive Round 5, in which he seemed to land the cleaner punches.
And he finished the show the following round, claiming his sixth victory since he was stopped in the first round by 154-pound titleholder Jermell Charlo in October 2017.
Lubin has beaten in succession Nathaniel Galimore, Terrell Gausha and Rosario, putting him in prime position to challenge the winner of the Charlo-Brian Castano title-unification bout, which is set for July 17.
Rosario (20-3-1, 14 KOs) burst onto the scene by stopping Julian Williams in five rounds to capture a junior middleweight bout. However, he lost it by eighth-round stoppage to Charlo in his subsequent fight.
The loss on Saturday was his second in a row, which will make his climb back to title contention difficult.
