Erickson Lubin successfully repositioned himself in the super-welterweight picture by stopping Ardreal Holmes Jr., an opponent who arrived undefeated but without significant tests, via a decisive finish in the 11th round.
The contest served as the main event for a ProBox TV card, taking place at the Silver Spurs Arena in Florida early this morning.
Initially perceived as a competitive 50/50 clash, Lubin (27-2, 19 KOs), a former contender for a world title, made a definitive statement to revitalize his career following a layoff spanning nearly 20 months.
His victory over Holmes (17-1, 6 KOs) was an eliminator bout, meaning the 29-year-old Lubin has potentially secured a spot as a mandatory challenger for the IBF title currently held by Bakhram Murtazaliev.
The opening round of the fight was uneventful. Both fighters exchanged jabs; Lubin utilized his right, while Holmes, a southpaw, sought to capitalize on his stance.
Rather than unleashing powerful straight lefts, the lanky Holmes seemed content with a cautious approach in the initial exchanges. He primarily relied on his long jab and stayed on the backfoot.
Lubin, conversely, pressed the action, controlling the central area of the ring through superior aggression and consistent combination punching. The first three rounds largely followed this pattern.
However, Lubin`s offensive creativity became more impactful from the fourth round onwards. He exhibited a willingness to take calculated risks, starting the round aggressively and landing a sharp left hand over Holmes` guard.
At this point, Lubin appeared to lose any perceived apprehension regarding Holmes` incoming punches, as Holmes` attacks lacked potency. The Michigan fighter continued to use a loose jab, offering minimal effective resistance to his significantly more seasoned opponent.
Although Lubin slightly reduced his pace during the middle rounds, he never lost control, maintaining dominance by dictating the fight with forward pressure.
In the eighth round, `The Hammer` displayed sharper footwork and began consistently penetrating Holmes` guard with effective combinations. Lubin hurt his opponent multiple times over the subsequent six minutes.
The breakthrough came in the 11th round when Lubin scored a knockdown with a heavy flurry of punches. Despite Holmes showing courage to return to his feet quickly, referee Chris Young appropriately intervened moments later, bringing the fight to a halt.
