With the victory, Lubin is now in line to face the winner of the Jermell Charlo-Jeison Rosario 154-pound blockbuster unification next Saturday, September 26, live on SHOWTIME PPV.
A new, improved Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin is set to fight for a world title again. Lubin overcame a stiff challenge from Terrell Gausha, surviving a brief scare in the 10th to win a 12-round unanimous decision Saturday night on SHOWTIME.
With the victory in this WBC world super welterweight title eliminator, Lubin (23-1, 16 KOs) has earned a shot at the winner of the blockbuster showdown between WBC 154-pound world champion Jermell Charlo and WBA/IBF counterpart Jeison Rosario which takes place next Saturday, September 26, on SHOWTIME pay-per-view (7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT).
I’d give myself a B- tonight,” said Lubin. “I think the layoff had a little to do with it, but Gausha is a top competitor. He’s at the top of the weight class for a reason. I just want to stay active and get my title shot.”
The only other time Lubin fought for a world championship occurred in October 2017, when the aforementioned Charlo stopped the ostentatious 21-year-old in one round. Since then, Lubin has joined forces with southpaw whisperer Kevin Cunningham, who trained Cory Spinks and Devon Alexander to multiple world titles and may do the same with Lubin, his third notable left-hander.
The improvements in Lubin’s style are readily apparent. He rode a four-fight win streak into this bout against Gausha (21-2-1, 10 KOs), a 33-year-old 2012 Olympian seeking his own form of redemption after losing his sole world title bid to WBA champion Erislandy Lara on the same card where Charlo defeated Lubin.
It wasn’t to be as Lubin outboxed him for long stretches of the bout, using his jab, angles, and body shots to keep Gausha at bay. With the fight slipping away, trainer Manny Robles implored his fighter to pick it up. Gausha responded by increasing his output in the seventh.
Gausha continued to pick it up during the second half of the bout. In the 10th, an overhand right caused Lubin to temporarily lose control of his legs. Gausha pounced but Lubin wisely held on and escaped the frame without further damage.
He was back in control in the 11th, using his jab to set up his left cross. Lubin put the finishing touches on his win with a strong final round, badly hurting Gausha with a right hook. Gausha survived, hanging on to hear the final bell.
Final cards read 118-110, 116-112, and 115-113. Afterward, the winner shared his thoughts on next Saturday’s anticipated showdown.
“I think Jermell Charlo is going to come out on top against Jeison Rosario,” said Lubin. “I’m ready for a rematch if he can take care of business like I did. I changed up a lot since the first fight. I have a master trainer in my corner in Kevin Cunningham, along with my longtime trainer Jason Galarza. I’m just all around a better fighter since the first time we fought.”
Tugstogt Nyambayar drops Cobia Breedy twice, wins split decision
Tugstogt Nyambayar earned himself another shot at the WBC world featherweight title, scoring two knockdowns on his way to a 12-round split decision win over a tough Cobia Breedy.
Nyambayar, coming off the first loss of his pro career—a points loss to WBC champion Gary Russell Jr.—had his hands full against a Breedy who came to fight.
“It was a tough fight. I have a lot of respect for Breedy. He’s a great boxer,” said Nyambayar, now 12-1 (9 KOs). “I thought I won the fight and did well to get the knock downs early. I thought I got the job done and I’m ready for the next step.”
The action was brisk from the get-go. Breedy (15-1, 5 KOs) was winning the first on volume when, with seconds remaining in the frame, Nyambayar dropped him with a one-two. Breedy rose quickly and the bell rang moments later.
It didn’t get much better at the beginning of the second as a right followed by a left hook dropped Breedy for a second time. But from then on, the former military man from Barbados seized control, using his speed, angles and volume punching to make it a close fight.
However, Nyambayar’s lead was too much to overcome. It forced Breedy to take chances he may have not otherwise taken, which allowed Nyambayar to land some heavy punches during exchanges late in the round.
With the fight hanging in the balance, both let it all hang in the last round. In the end, one judge handed in a 115-111 card for Breedy, while the other two judges had it for Nyambayar by scores of 114-112 and 114-113.
“I knew it was a close fight, but I wasn’t thinking about the score,” said Nyambayar. “I was surprised it was a split decision, but I thought I did enough to get the win.
“I was trying for the knockout, but it's boxing, so I kept fighting until the end. He was very tough.”
Abreu goes down in round 5. Counter uppercut while stepping back from @JaronEnnis #EnnisAbreu pic.twitter.com/MrDvyRrm1p
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) September 20, 2020
Jaron Ennis delivers impressive TKO win over Juan Carlos Abreu
Look out, welterweight division, the future may be here.
Jaron “Boots” Ennis entered the ring as an unbeaten phenom stepping up against veteran Juan Carlos Abreu. When it was all over, Ennis had graduated from prospect to contender—in grand fashion. The Philadelphia native became the first fighter to stop Abreu, putting him away at 1:06 of the sixth round.
“I felt great tonight,” Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) said afterward. “I was in there having my fun, then my dad said to stop playing with him, and that it’s time to take him out, so that’s what I did.”
And he did it with style. Abreu, 33, was expected to be the toughest opponent of Ennis’ career, having shared the ring with interim WBA World Welterweight Champion Jamal James and holding a win over the respected Jesus Soto-Karass.
Leading up to the fight, Abreu (23-6-1, 21 KOs) had promised to take the 23-year-old upstart into deep waters and drown him. But when the bell rang, he was the one struggling to stay up. Ennis took the fight to him from round one, establishing himself as the bigger man although Abreu failed to make the 147-pound weight limit at Friday’s weigh-in, coming in at 150 ¼ pounds.
Whether fighting righty or lefty, coming forward or moving back, Ennis was in control, landing an assortment of punches and eating little in return. He dominated the action, pausing only during a strange sequence in the fifth when Ennis upset Abreu by landing a shot on the beltline.
Abreu retaliated with a vicious uppercut to the cup. After a brief break, Ennis dished out more punishment, pounding Abreu’s head and body. With about 20 seconds in the fifth, Ennis countered a wide Abreu shot with a perfect right uppercut that deposited him on the seat of his pants. Abreu rose but the end was near.
A right from Ennis early in the sixth dropped Abreu again. He made it to his feet but when Ennis floored him again with a combination, referee Johnny Callas wisely called it off.
“I made a statement tonight and stopped someone who’s never been stopped,” Ennis pointed out. “Bring on the top 10 and top five guys or title eliminators. I’m coming for the championship next year.”
For a closer look at Lubin vs Gausha, check out our fight night page.
