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Vergil Ortiz Jr. Vs. Erickson Lubin Predictions – ‘TKO, Bet The House'

hasib

4 November 2025

WBC Interim Heavyweight Champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. will meet Erickson Lubin on November 8, as fans picked their winner.

Ortiz Jr. is currently ranked as The Ring’s No. 1 fighter at 154 pounds, following wins over Serhii Bohachuk and Israil Madrimov in February. Those wins extended his undefeated record to 23-0. While that may have been the case, they were the first times he had failed to stop an opponent, having racked up 21 KOs. He had to get off the canvas against Bohachuk, while Madrimov took him the distance.

Lubin, the IBF’s No. 1-ranked contender, has delivered three straight wins over Luis Arias, Jesus Ramos Jr., and Ardreal Holmes Jr. He could have chosen to pursue the IBF route by targeting the champion Bakhram Murtazaliev, but opted for Ortiz, putting the pressure on him to perform.

The Approach

Ortiz Jr. will likely use consistent, heavy-footed pressure to deny Lubin the space for lateral movement, maneuvering to constantly force Lubin toward the ropes and into the corners. Once the distance is closed, Ortiz’s power will be channeled into the body, utilizing hooks to drain Lubin’s stamina. The critical tactical moment will be exploiting the southpaw angle by consistently landing a heavy right hand over the top of Lubin’s right jab.

Lubin’s blueprint for success hinges on his superior foot speed, ring mastery, and defensive responsibility. Lubin must approach the fight prioritizing distance management and positional dominance, keeping his right foot outside of Ortiz’s left to maintain the clearest, shortest path to escape Ortiz’s right-hand trajectory. Lubin will throw high-volume combinations—quick bursts of three and four punches—before immediately exiting the pocket, denying Ortiz the stationary target needed to launch his power counters.