Vergil Ortiz Jr. Aims to Vault into Title Contention Against Erickson Lubin Amidst Frustrations with Elusive Champions

FORT WORTH, Texas – Vergil Ortiz Jr., the undefeated junior middleweight prospect, is poised to enter the most pivotal fight of his career against Erickson Lubin, a former title challenger, at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday. The 12-round bout for the interim WBC title at 154 pounds represents a critical juncture for the 27-year-old Ortiz (23-0, 21 KOs), who has long been touted as a future champion but has faced challenges in securing high-profile fights.

The fight, broadcast on DAZN, arrives after a period of relative inactivity in the boxing calendar, and carries significant implications for Ortiz, whose progress has been hampered by health issues and the reluctance of established names to face him. While Ortiz boasts a record that justifies the hype surrounding him, he has struggled to secure the breakthrough fight necessary to propel him to world championship status.

Ortiz’s opponent, the 30-year-old Lubin (27-2, 19 KOs), presents a formidable challenge. Lubin’s only professional defeats have come against elite opposition, including Jermell Charlo, a former undisputed champion, and Sebastian Fundora, in a bout widely regarded as one of the best of 2022.

"He’s a dangerous fight because he has intellect, he has experience and he has power," Ortiz said at the pre-fight 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, as well. When you have both of those in the equation, that’s when you have a dangerous fighter."

Ortiz emerged as a promising talent six years ago at 147 pounds, displaying both power and boxing skills. He secured stoppage victories over notable opponents such as Mauricio Herrera, Antonio Orozco, Maurice Hooker, and Egidijus "Mean Machine" Kavliauskas. However, he struggled to secure fights against the welterweight titleholders, stalling his ascent to the top of the division.

A recurring battle with rhabdomyolysis, a muscle disorder, further disrupted Ortiz’s career, forcing him to withdraw from multiple fights and ultimately leading to a two-year layoff. The illness, which affected his weight cuts, prompted him to move up to 154 pounds.

Since transitioning to junior middleweight, Ortiz has quickly established himself as a contender. He began with first-round knockouts against Fredrick Lawson and Thomas Dulorme before overcoming two knockdowns to defeat Serheii Bohachuk, a late replacement for the injured Tim Tszyu, by majority decision in a fight-of-the-year candidate in 2024.

In February, Ortiz secured his most significant victory to date, outpointing former titleholder Israil Madrimov. The mature performance solidified his position as one of the leading fighters in the division, despite not holding a world title.

Ortiz discussed his journey to the Lubin fight in a recent DAZN-produced "Face 2 Face" 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 expressed a desire to fight Jaron "Boots" Ennis earlier this year. He claims to have signed a contract to be Ennis’s debut opponent at 154 pounds, but Ennis opted to fight Uisma Lima instead, whom he defeated by knockout in the first round.

Ennis became the latest in a series of high-profile fighters to avoid Ortiz. However, promoters Oscar De La Hoya, representing Ortiz, and Eddie Hearn, representing Ennis, have expressed interest in arranging a non-title fight between the two in the coming year, with the winner potentially becoming the recognized top fighter in the division.

Ortiz is solely focused on his upcoming fight against Lubin. "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."

While Ortiz has been unable to secure fights against current titleholders at 154 pounds, including Xander Zayas (WBO), Bakhram Murtazaliev (IBF), Abass Baraou (WBA), and Fundora (WBC), a victory over Lubin would position him as a leading contender for the division’s top spot.

"He 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."

The Ortiz-Lubin fight is expected to be a highly competitive and entertaining contest, with both fighters possessing the skills and determination to emerge victorious. For Ortiz, the fight represents a crucial opportunity to prove his status as a top contender and move closer to his ultimate goal of becoming a world champion. For Lubin, it’s a chance to re-establish himself as a force in the division after setbacks against Charlo and Fundora. The outcome will have a significant impact on the future landscape of the junior middleweight division.