Vergil Ortiz Jr. Cannot afford any slip-ups when he faces a potentially tricky assignment against Erickson Lubin in Fort Worth.
If Ortiz retains his WBC interim super welterweight title at Dickies Arena, all roads will lead to an all-American superfight against long-time rival Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
“Jaron Ennis got a world title at 147, or a couple of ‘em, I think. Good for him, he has a lot of momentum going his way,” Ortiz told The Ring. “If I had that much momentum, I would've gone straight to the big fight at 154, if I'm being honest. I'm just that kinda guy, I guess, but when it was time to say yes to the fight, I was the only one.
“A lotta people were saying that I was ducking at 147, when there was no fight to be offered or anything like that. The only times the fight has ever been offered to either of us, I have said yes. So, when people are saying ‘ducking,’ when they align that word with me … if they wanna align it with him, they should. I don’t care about that. But if they wanna align it with me, then they can’t say that because I said yes.”
Texas native Ortiz is back on home turf at Dickies Arena, where he claimed stoppage wins over Maurice Hooker and Michael McKinson in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Needless to say, southpaw Lubin is relishing the chance to upset the odds.
“I feel like he’s [Ortiz Jr.] A great fighter, I feel like right now is my time,” Lubin told Golden Boy's Face 2 Face. “I’ve got to face the toughest guys in the division, I’m just ready to prove myself. This is my third undefeated fighter in a row, top-10 contender, I’m ready to solidify myself as the top 154lber.”
AllSportsPeople’ Dom Farrell looks at the odds for this fight and makes a final prediction.
Vergil Ortiz Jr. Vs. Erickson Lubin odds
Per the FanDuel Sportsbook, Vergil Ortiz Jr. Is the -1000 favorite, while Erickson Lubin is the +580 underdog.
Vergil Ortiz Jr. Vs. Erickson Lubin betting trends
Via the FanDuel Sportsbook:
- Ortiz via KO/TKO: -155
- Ortiz via decision: +195
- Lubin via KO/TKO: +800
- Parker via decision: +1300
- Draw: +1900
Vergil Ortiz Jr. Vs. Erickson Lubin prediction
Lubin notes his back-to-back wins over undefeated fighters — a unanimous decision over Jesus Alejandro Ramos Jr. And an 11th-round stoppage of Andreal Holmes Jr. — and he has now won three in a row since a ninth-round retirement loss to Sebastian Fundora in April 2022.
That, however, underscores a concerning lack of activity over three-and-a-half years, especially compared with Ortiz, who comes off signature wins over Serhii Bohachuk and Israil Madrimov. The 27-year-old twice rose off the canvas to earn a majority decision over Bohachuk, then delivered a career-best performance to beat the highly skilled Madrimov by unanimous decision.
Lubin is undeniably a higher-caliber opponent than Uisma Lima, whom Ennis dispatched in a single round last month. Ortiz faces an effective semifinal scenario, making this a must-win bout — though he’ll also be looking to return to the knockout column.
Ortiz had 21 KOs from 21 fights prior to the Bohachuk bout, and stopping Erickson within the distance would reinforce his elite power credentials at 154 pounds. Erickson’s southpaw skills could pose early challenges, but he has been stopped in his previous two losses to Jermell Charlo and Fundora. A relentless Ortiz should be able to grind him down and secure the victory after the midway point.