Home Boxing News Erickson Lubin stakes claim to world title shot with sixth-round knockout of...

Erickson Lubin stakes claim to world title shot with sixth-round knockout of Jeison Rosario

Erickson Lubin knocked out Jeison Rosario in the sixth. Photo credit: Premier Boxing Champions

Junior middleweight contender Erickson ‘The Hammer’ Lubin 24-1 (17) executed an excellent gameplan to stop former unified 154-pound champion Jeison ‘Banana’ Rosario 20-3-1 (14) in the sixth round of their 12-round contest at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday night.

The WBC world title eliminator was the main support bout to the WBA ‘regular’ junior welterweight title fight between beltholder Mario ‘El Azteca’ Barrios 26-1 (17) and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis 25-0 (24).

Lubin started well and found a home for his hard shots in the third, rocking Rosario before the ex-WBA and IBF boss came back to reverse the trend in the following round.

The 25-year-old southpaw from Orlando, Florida landed a pair of blows to Rosario’s body that sent the 26-year-old Dominican to the deck in the sixth. Rosario beat the count but was beat back down to the canvas again to score the knockout at the time of 1:42. The last punch appeared to land after Rosario was already down.

“I just followed the gameplan,” said Lubin, who was leading 48-47 twice and 49-46 on the judges’ scorecards. “I went to the corner every round and coach [Kevin] Cunningham and my team told me to stick to the jab. I’m way faster than him but I knew he had good power and was trying to counter me.

“I saw I started hurting him to the body because I saw him run so I know I had to keep going to the body. [Cunningham] is a Hall-of-Fame trainer, Kevin is a great trainer. He told me to not get too crazy when we got him hurt and that’s what we did. We took our time.”

CompuBox had Lubin outlanding Rosario in the first three rounds with Rosario having the edge in connects in rounds four and five. Lubin landed 44% of his power shots at 80 of 288, with 20 of them hitting the body.

“I set him up with the jab and went downstairs,” Lubin said. “I saw him hold his body like that and I knew he was hurt. I know I’m a great finisher and I knew I was going to get him out of there.”

Now Lubin wants a second shot at a world title after being blitzed by Jermell Charlo 34-1 (18) in a single round in his bid for the WBC 154-pound belt four years ago.

Charlo, who now owns the WBC, WBA and IBF straps, is scheduled to face WBO boss Brian Castano 17-0-1 (12) in San Antonio, Texas on July 17.

Lubin says he is ready to face the winner.

“I want the title fight. I want everybody at 154 pounds,” he said. “I don’t duck nobody and I don’t want no tune-up fights.

“I want the best guys in the division and I want to be able to say I beat everyone in the division when I am champion.”