Avila Perspective, Chap. 350: Spotlight on Vergil Ortiz and More

Texas-bred Vergil Ortiz Jr. returns close to home where this next test could determine the final path to super stardom.

It’s been a journey.

The undefeated slugger Ortiz (23-0, 21 KOs) meets Florida’s Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin (27-2, 19 KOs) on Saturday. Nov. 8, at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotions show.

Fort Worth is about 21 miles from Grand Prairie, Texas, where Ortiz grew up.

Expect friends, family and fans of Ortiz to fill the arena to watch Ortiz compete against the highly respected Lubin who has twice before fought for a world title and lost. But it doesn’t mar the fact the Florida southpaw fighter is talented.

“He has been in there with the best. I just want to fight the best,” said Ortiz about this challenge.

Lubin nearly toppled Sebastian Fundora when they crossed paths back in 2022 in Las Vegas. In their match Lubin knocked down the “Towering Inferno” in the seventh round but was then himself knocked out in the ninth.

Five years earlier, when Lubin was undefeated, he clashed with Jermell Charlo in Brooklyn but was quickly caught cold in the first round.

Lubin has faced and defeated many of the top super welterweights in the world including Jesus Ramos, Ardreal Holmes Jr., and Jeison Rosario. He’s no slouch but somehow gets overlooked in the talented super welterweight division.

“I feel like he’s a great fighter but right now is my time. I’m just ready to prove myself,” said Lubin. “This is my third undefeated fighter in a row.”

Ortiz is among those overlooked too.

The slender Texan from Grand Prairie began his pro career as a super lightweight. The Golden Boy brain trust expected him to slug his way to world titles as a super lightweight and welterweight but Covid crashed those dreams.

Ortiz tried but physically was unable to make weight after catching Covid-19 twice. The weight drains caused havoc to his immune system. Canceled fights and long periods of inactivity left many wondering about his future.

When Ortiz finally returned in January of 2024 and fought Fredrick Lawson and destroyed him in one as a super welterweight, no one knew what that lightning victory meant. Was he that much better as a super welter or was Lawson that bad? Three months later he met Thomas Dulorme in Texas and another first round stoppage occurred.

The real test took place in Las Vegas in early August of 2024 when he met Serhii Bohachuk in a battle between super welterweight assassins. After 12 incredible rounds of bashing in a very close match Ortiz won by majority decision.

Ortiz followed that up with a match against former champion Israil Madrimov last February and won convincingly by unanimous decision. It was a measuring stick to see where Ortiz placed among the super welterweights especially since Madrimov fared well against Terence Crawford a year earlier in L.A.

“I respect him. It’s been really hard to get fights,” said Ortiz. “I’m very glad we got one.”

Lubin is just as anxious.

“I can see it in his eyes he is not overlooking me. He is a Mexican fighter,” said Lubin. “I’m not overlooking him.”

Neither is Ortiz

“He is a good fighter. Let’s get it on,” said Ortiz

Pro Box Series

Welterweights Nicklaus Flaz (15-2) and Delante Johnson (16-0) meet in the 10-round main event on Friday, Nov. 7, at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Florida. The Pro Boxing Promotions card will be streamed on proboxtv.com.

Other fights included are Katsuma Akitsugi (13-0) and Vincent Astrolabio (20-5) in a bantamweight showdown and lightweights Dominic Valle (11-0) and Rene Alvarado (36-16) meeting for eight rounds,

Fights to Watch

Fri. Probox.tv 6 p.m. Nicklaus Flaz (15-2) vs Delante Johnson (16-0).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Vergil Ortiz Jr. (23-0) vs Erickson Lubin (27-2).

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