Vergil Ortiz Jr. Aims to Overcome Obstacles, Faces Erickson Lubin in Career-Defining Bout

DALLAS – After six years navigating the professional boxing landscape as a highly-touted prospect, Vergil Ortiz Jr. is poised to enter the most pivotal fight of his career, a contest that could potentially catapult him into the upper echelons of the junior middleweight division. The undefeated 27-year-old will square off against Erickson Lubin in a 12-round bout for the interim World Boxing Council (WBC) title at 154 pounds. The fight will take place at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

Ortiz, with a record of 23-0 and 21 knockouts, is set to headline the event, broadcasted on DAZN, at 8 p.m. ET. A victory over Lubin could position him for a future clash with Jaron "Boots" Ennis, a former unified welterweight champion, in what would be one of the most anticipated matchups in boxing.

The upcoming fight arrives after a prolonged lull in the boxing calendar during the latter half of 2025. The significance of this bout extends beyond its timing, reflecting the challenges and delays that have marked Ortiz’s career trajectory, including illness-related setbacks and difficulties in securing fights against prominent opponents.

Ortiz has accumulated victories that validate his reputation. However, he has consistently faced obstacles in securing the type of high-profile, breakthrough fight that would elevate him to world champion status and solidify his place among boxing’s elite.

Lubin, 30, brings a record of 27-2 with 19 knockouts to the ring. His only professional losses have come against Jermell Charlo and Sebastian Fundora.

"Lubin is a dangerous fight because he has intellect, he has experience, and he has power," Ortiz said during the kickoff press conference. "He likes to fight. I’ve seen his fights before; he legitimately goes in there to fight people. I respect that about him, but he’s also a smart fighter. When you have both of those in the equation, that’s when you have a dangerous fighter."

Ortiz initially emerged as a promising talent at 147 pounds, showcasing power in both hands and an ability to both box and engage in close-quarters exchanges. He secured stoppage victories against opponents such as Mauricio Herrera, Antonio Orozco, Maurice Hooker, and Egidijus "Mean Machine" Kavaliauskas. However, his progress was hindered by his inability to secure fights against welterweight titleholders.

A recurring battle with rhabdomyolysis led to multiple fight withdrawals and a two-year hiatus from the sport. The illness also affected his weight cuts, prompting Ortiz to move up to 154 pounds.

Since moving up to junior middleweight, Ortiz has quickly established himself as a force in the division. He secured first-round knockouts against Fredrick Lawson and Thomas Dulorme. In a fight against Serheii Bohachuk, a replacement for the injured Tim Tszyu, Ortiz overcame being knocked down twice to win by majority decision in 2024.

Ortiz secured his most significant win to date against former titleholder Israil Madrimov. Ortiz relied on his boxing skills to secure the victory, which placed him among the top fighters in the division, despite not holding a world title.

Ortiz discussed his journey to the Lubin fight during a DAZN-produced "Face 2 Face" digital series.

"You fought for a world title against Charlo in your third year. I didn’t get that opportunity," Ortiz told Lubin. "I was trying to get that opportunity. I just didn’t get it. I was trying to fight Hooker and whatever 147-pounders there were. I didn’t get to fight [Terence] Crawford or [Errol] Spence; they were trying to fight each other. I just didn’t get those opportunities, man. You can think what you want, but that’s just what it came down to."

Ortiz had hoped to fight Ennis earlier this year. He claims to have signed a contract to be Ennis’s debut opponent at 154 pounds, only for Ennis to instead face Uisma Lima.

Oscar De La Hoya, who promotes Ortiz, and Eddie Hearn, Ennis’s promoter, have both expressed interest in arranging a non-title fight between them.

"I don’t want to talk about anyone if it’s not Lubin," Ortiz said. "I’m here for Lubin, and I’m not fighting anyone else that’s not Lubin."

The current titleholders at 154 pounds include Xander Zayas (WBO), Bakhram Murtazaliev (IBF), Abass Baraou (WBA), and Fundora (WBC).

"[Lubin] has been in there with the best, and I just want to fight the best. That’s what it is," Ortiz said. "I don’t have anything against anyone, I’m just a competitive person. I respect anyone that gets into that ring, especially right now. It has been really hard to get fights. I haven’t fought since February, and we have been trying. I’m really glad we got one, especially with [Lubin] calling me out. It’s going to be electric."