Results and Recaps from Texas where Vergil Ortiz Demolished Erickson Lubin

In the very crowded super welterweight division, big punching Vergil Ortiz Jr. quickly ousted Erickson Lubin from the upper ranks with a quick annihilation to win by knockout on Saturday.

“There wasn’t much to evaluate, I just capitalized on his mistakes,” said Ortiz who retained the interim WBC super welterweight title.

Texas born and bred, Ortiz (24-0, 22 KOs) measured, then destroyed, the much-respected Lubin (27-3, 18 KOs) in front of a boisterous crowd in Fort Worth, Texas. Hometown fans were ecstatic with the result.

Ortiz has been seeking the world title fight and had searched the entire super welterweight weight division to find a worthy opponent to face. Only Lubin answered the call.

Lubin only had two losses in his pro career and both were to reigning world champions. Many felt this would be a serious measuring stick for Ortiz whose hometown is a mere 20 miles from Fort Worth.

Ortiz and Lubin both have reputations of being boxer/punchers with Ortiz noted more for his knockouts. But Lubin had plenty of knockouts too.

In the opening round Ortiz and Lubin surprisingly did not hesitate in fighting within arms distance. Lubin used the jab as a measuring device while Ortiz targeted the body with left hooks. Lubin connected with a lead right while Ortiz ended the round with a three-punch combination.

Nobody was running in this fight.

Ortiz opened the second round even more aggressively and pressured Lubin into the ropes and unloaded 10 unanswered blows. Lubin tried to counter with a three-punch combo but was met with another vicious 11-punch barrage including an overhand right that seemed to connect and cause damage. Ortiz did not stop until the referee jumped in between the fighters to halt the bombardment.

It was a quick and decisive destruction. The end came at 1:30 of the second round.

“He’s a great fighter but there are levels,” said Ortiz.

Watching at ringside was former welterweight world titlist Jaron “Boots” Ennis who recently won the interim WBA super welter title.

“We want to fight the best so Boots come over,” said Ortiz to Ennis and his promoter Eddie Hearn. “This is a fight that has to happen.”

Ennis emphatically agreed.

“You’re a great fighter,” Ennis said. “I guarantee you I will be the winner.”

No definite word on when or where the match will take place. Both Golden Boy Promotions and Matchroom Boxing have DAZN media contracts.

Other Bouts

Super middleweights Darius Fulghum (14-1-1) and David Stevens (15-2-1) fought to a majority draw after a clinch-infested frustrating 10 rounds. Blame it on referee Laurence Cole for not warning Stevens, especially for wrapping his arms around Fulghum at every opportunity. Late in the fight, Cole made one warning to Stevens who seemed to have clinching in his fight plan.

Neither fighter really was able to distinguish themselves and the match ended in a majority draw decision.

Amari Jones (15-0, 13 KOs), newly signed by Golden Boy Promotions, needed only three rounds to knock out Shady Gamhour (14-3, 9 KOs) in their middleweight clash.

Gamhour’s herky jerky moves kept Jones thinking for about a round and then he began targeting the head with overhand rights. Several rights connected in the third and rattled Gamhour who tried to survive but was floored with a right to the temple. He got up and continued but was overrun by two consecutive rights that ended the fight at 2:54 of the third.

“I had to adjust a little bit,” said Jones who trains out of Las Vegas. “In the third round I seen the opening and took it.”

A cruiserweight battle between undefeated fighters saw Robin Safar (19-0, 13 KOs) pound out a win by unanimous decision after 10 rounds versus Derick Miller Jr. (18-1, 10 KOs). From the opening round Safar was busier and seemed stronger but was unable to knock down Miller though he did come close. The scores were 99-90, 98-81, 98-91.

Joshua Edwards out-worked Zeno Vooris for three rounds and forced the corner of Vooris to halt the fight at 2:34 of the third round. A cut from a clash of heads caused a cut under the right eye of Vooris in their heavyweight fight.

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