Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin says he will “replace” WBC interim junior middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. by defeating him in a main event match within 11 days on November 8, 2025 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
Ortiz Jr. (23-0, 21 KO) is scheduled to face Sebastian Fundora for the WBC 154-pound title. He also has a potentially lucrative fight against Jaron “Boots” Ennis, which could come in early 2026 if he and his promoters at Golden Boy Promotions decide to make that risky fight.
Vergil’s wear and tear
Before any of these fights can happen, Vergil Jr. will have to defeat #4 WBC Lubin (27-2, 19 KO) in a 12-round main fight at DAZN on November 8. This is Ortiz Jr.’s third straight tough fight. will fight from 2024.
In his last two fights, he defeated Israil Madrimov and Serhiy Bohachuk by two 12-round decisions in grueling fights. Vergil Jr. he took as many punishments as he inflicted. He survived these fights more than he won them. The two of them were razor close to each other and his face looked beat up after all.
Lubin, 30, could take advantage of the situation if Vergil Jr. won’t be 100% functional after these two wars. He has not had a difficult fight since a ninth-round loss to Fundora on April 9, 2022.
Replacement plan
“Defeating someone like Vergil, I would basically replace him.” – said Erickson Lubin Golden Boy Boxing about his fight with Vergil Ortiz Jr. November 8. “I’m one of the top dogs in this division. I feel like a lot of guys tend to avoid me or overlook me. I’m just elated that Vergil took the fight the way he did.”
Lubin will replace Ortiz Jr. in a fight against Fundora for the WBC 154-pound title. It’s questionable whether Erickson will be willing to fight “Boots” Ennis considering how risky the fight would be for him. If the money isn’t worth it, he’ll be looking at a rematch with Fundora “The Towering Inferno.”
“There’s a list of names he could fight. Respect to him,” Lubin said of Ortiz Jr. “We’re both in great shape. We’re not waiting for someone to get elderly or stop ducking because the money isn’t right. This will be one of those truly historic fights.”
If Ortiz Jr. he didn’t fight Lubin, his options would be slim against a noticeable opponent. Ennis didn’t want to face Vergil Jr. in his debut at 154. That would be someone like Callum Walsh or Brandon Adams. None of them would be as captivating as Lubin.
“I’ll probably keep it or win by decision. It doesn’t matter to me. Go home with W. After this fight, they won’t talk about Vergil anymore. They will talk about the hammer.
Tom Galm has been dynamic on the global boxing scene since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, business trends and fighter psychology.
“I think one or two more fights,” Ramirez told Fight Hub TV when asked about his long-term plans. “I have been practicing this sport for a long time.”
Ramirez, 33, said that while he still wants to continue his career for now, he is already thinking about how his career will end, not how long it can be extended. Ramirez said he has achieved key goals in the sport, including becoming world champion in two divisions, but still wants to perform at the highest level before he retires.
That pursuit begins with Benavidez, a fight that Ramirez believes will define his status and push his name further to the top of the sport.
“I will beat him. That’s my plan, to fight Opetaia,” said Gilberto about his desire to fight former IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.
It’s a shoot-for-the-stars plan for Ramirez, but you can’t blame him for wanting to fight Opetaia. The biggest obstacle is not only the fight itself, but also where Jai Opetaia currently sits. Jai is now the face of Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
At the same time, Ramirez hinted at one last twist before his retirement. When asked about moving up again, he left the door open to a possible heavyweight fight, even admitting that he may not be the biggest fighter in the division.
“Why not?” Ramirez talked about moving up to heavyweight. “That would be amazing.”
If Zurdo loses to Benavidez, his plan for Opetaia will likely evaporate and he may just go straight to the heavyweight event for one last payday before he suspends them.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fight landscape. His reports focus on the most crucial fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
The final decision may come after the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao rematch drama ends.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Mayweather and Pacquiao were set to fight professionally more than 10 years after their first meeting, with the event streaming live on Netflix and taking place on September 19 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
In recent weeks the duel was in doubt, after Mayweather stated that the fight would instead be an exhibition, while Pacquiao continues to insist that it must be a fully sanctioned fight.
Since it is currently unknown whether this will actually come to fruition, this has probably given the clearest signal that this will no longer happen.
Conversation with FightHypepromoter Eddie Hearn said he thinks Netflix can now focus on the WBC welterweight title fight between Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn, essentially replacing the Mayweather-Pacquiao event.
“It’s all a mess. I’m surprised Netflix got into this whole circus… Netflix is modern to boxing, but they need to be a little more solid in the routine because you can’t actually call the fight and it just falls by the wayside and it just doesn’t look great.”
“NO [I don’t believe it will happen]not now. Netflix is only going to do so many fights and the Benn-Garcia fight is now said to be on September 12 or whenever that happens, so obviously this is the fight to replace Mayweather-Pacquiao.
“If it happened Mayweather-Pacquiao, they are committed to that fight, but if it doesn’t happen they will want another fight and from the sound of it it will be Garcia vs. Benn.”
The world title fight between Garcia and Benn has been widely discussed this month, and if Hearn is right, it could spell the end of any hopes of Mayweather and Pacquiao fighting again.
“I think my size and youth should be a gigantic advantage. It gives me an even better chance to win,” Nakatani told The Ring.
Inoue’s reluctance to make the jump to 126 pounds at featherweight may be the most truthful admission of his physical limitations.
Inoue has fought fighters who hydrated to be hefty, but Nakatani is elevated. At 5’7″ or 5’8″, he has the skeletal leverage of a natural featherweight or super featherweight.
Most of Inoue’s opponents end up with confined time as they have to rush to hit him. Nakatani can theoretically sit outside and throw a punch without putting his chin in the red zone.
The numbers support this belief on paper. Nakatani will enter with a three-inch height advantage, a slight reach advantage and a five-year age difference. He also has natural size from climbing three weight classes, which he plans to exploit for the full distance rather than chasing an early finish.
“This fight will 100% be a war and I think I will win by decision once I overcome everything Inoue throws at me,” Nakatani said.
In his December victory over Sebastian Hernandez, Nakatani was forced into a fierce fight in which both men landed heavily, taking 273 punches in a back-and-forth fight that went the distance. He showed toughness, but also suggested he could get hit when exchanges open up.
It’s not that Inoue is afraid of fighting a bigger opponent, but more that he is a perfectionist who knows that when you lose your physical advantage, you have to rely completely on your endurance. Nakatani is the first fighter in a long time who can actually make Inoue look petite in the ring.
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