Ahead of their Nov. 8 showdown in Fort Worth, Texas, both Vergil Ortiz and Erickson Lubin sat down for a face to face interview where they discussed their fight and its implications as both look to move on from here to bigger and better opportunities.
Lubin on why he wanted to fight Ortiz
“I feel like he’s a great fighter, I just feel like right now is my time. I feel like I’ve faced the toughest guys in the division and I’m just ready to prove myself. This is my third undefeated fighter in a row, top 10 contender, and I’m just looking
to solidify myself as the best 154 pounder.”
Ortiz on facing Lubin
“I thought it was a great fight. Like we been saying, he’s been in there with the best and I just want to fight the best, that’s really it.
“I don’t go into a fight thinking I’m going to knock anybody out, I just go in thinking ‘I need to do my best, I need to listen to my corner.’ If it comes, it comes…it has to be organic.”
Lubin on what advantages he holds over Ortiz
“I can’t give you the game plan. I feel like he’s a great fighter, I feel like on fight night I’ll be able to show rather than just talk about it. I’d rather just prove myself. We have game plans drawn up, I’m with Kay Koroma now. I feel like on fight night it’d be a great matchup.”
Ortiz on Lubin his career has been carefully managed
“Maybe to his point of view. You fought for a world title against Charlo in your third year, I didn’t get that opportunity. I was trying to get that opportunity…I was trying to fight Hooker, I was trying to fight whatever 140-pounders there were. I didn’t get to fight Crawford or Spence, they were trying to fight each other. I just didn’t get those opportunities, man. But you can think what you want.”
