#3-ranked contender Erickson Lubin says he’s able to problem IBF junior middleweight champion Bakhram Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs) subsequent. Lubin states that he was speculated to have fought Murtazaliev, however the negotiations didn’t work out. He’s now able to combat him following his third-round knockout win over former WBO 154-lb champion Tim Tszyu final Saturday night time in Orlando, Florida.
Lubin (26-2, 18 KOs) says that wasn’t an upset win for Murtazaliev as a result of he went into the combat because the champion in opposition to Tszyu, although he was the underdog. He wasn’t stunned by Murtazaliev’s win as a result of he felt that Tszyu had by no means overwhelmed anybody of observe throughout his eight-year skilled profession.
Erickson Lubin’s Defeats
- Sebastian Fundora: RTD 9
- Jermell Charlo: KO 1
It stays to be seen whether or not Lubin, 29, would be the subsequent challenger for Murtazaliev as a result of he needs a unification combat. Dealing with Lubin, who hasn’t fought since his controversial 12-round unanimous choice win over Jesus Ramos over a 12 months in the past on September thirtieth, 2023, isn’t very best for Murtazaliev.
“It wasn’t no upset. He fought the champion. I do know he was the favourite, however it wasn’t no upset,” mentioned Erickson Lubin to Battle Hook New, speaking about Bakhram Murtazaliev’s win over Tim Tszyu final Saturday night time.
Lubin is an effective fighter, however he’ll possible be manner out of his league going up in opposition to Murtazaliev as a result of this man punches too arduous and would assault him with pictures that he couldn’t take for quite a lot of rounds with out folding like he did in opposition to Jermell and Fundora.
“He fought the champion, and who has Tim Tszyu fought? Who has Tim beat? Tony [Harrison] was over the sting,” mentioned Lubin when instructed that Tszyu had overwhelmed Tony Harrison up to now. “They got here out weapons blazing. That occurs in boxing,” mentioned Lubin.
Tszyu has wins over Brian Mendoza, Carlos Ocampo and Terrell Gausha. These are good fighters and would give Lubin a variety of issues. They may even beat him. Lubins’ final combat in opposition to Jesus Ramos left a bitter style within the mouth of a variety of boxing followers as a result of they felt he was gifted a choice.
“I’m not going to kick the person whereas he’s down. I hope he recovers. I hope he comes again, however that Russian dude [Murtazaliev] is powerful. He’s tall, and he seems to be just a little sturdy. That’s the combat I would like subsequent. I needed that combat earlier than Tim Tszyu acquired him. Tim jumped the gun just a little bit,” mentioned Lubin.
These pictures that Murtazaliev dropped Tszyu with 4 occasions in his win would have possible accomplished the identical factor if he landed them on Lubin. We’re speaking a couple of fighter in Lubin that Jermell Charlo knocked out within the first spherical in 2017. Jermell’s KO share of 54, and he’s nowhere close to the identical form of puncher as Murtazaliev.
