Super Welterweight sensation Vergil Ortiz Jr. Returns this weekend. Set for Saturday, November 8, 2025, at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. Ortiz, the undefeated phenom, steps in as the favorite, but Lubin, the battle-tested contender, arrives with the kind of pedigree that turns underdog tales into nightmares. Broadcast live on DAZN, expect fireworks under the Lone Star lights, with Ortiz aiming to reclaim his knockout thunder after recent wars of attrition.

The full card packs a punch, headlined by this 12-round main event for Ortiz’s WBC strap. Supporting bouts include super middleweight prospect Darius Fulghum facing David Stevens, middleweight clash between Amari Jones and Shady Gamhour, heavyweight Joshua Edwards versus Zeno Vooris, and more, rounding out a night primed for breakthroughs and brutal finishes. But make no mistake: all eyes will be on the ring’s center, where two of the division’s most dynamic talents collide.

Vergil Ortiz Jr.: The Texas Machine

Vergil Ortiz Jr., the 27-year-old pride of Grand Prairie, Texas, enters this bout with a pristine 23-0 record, 21 stoppages, and a blistering 91% knockout rate. Nicknamed “The Texas Machine,” Ortiz embodies the relentless pressure style that defined legends like Julio César Chávez: forward-marching aggression, piston-like combinations, and a granite chin that invites chaos. 

His amateur pedigree: seven-time national champion and 2013 Junior Olympics gold medalist with a 140-20 record translates to pro-level fundamentals, but it’s his raw power that sets him apart. Ortiz doesn’t just punch; he detonates, loading up hooks and uppercuts from unorthodox angles while maintaining a high-volume output that overwhelms foes.

Yet, 2025 has tested his evolution. After a grueling majority decision over Serhii Bohachuk in August 2024—where he rose from a knockdown to edge a 12-round war—Ortiz went the distance again in February 2025, outboxing Israil Madrimov via unanimous decision in Riyadh. These bouts exposed a sharper boxer behind the brawler: improved jab work, better distance management, and the patience to pick apart mobile opponents without always hunting the kill. Still, at 5’10” with a 72-inch reach, Ortiz thrives in the pocket, using feints to draw counters and turning defenses into devastating flurries. 

His vulnerability? Occasional overcommitting , as seen when Bohachuk buzzed him early. In front of his Fort Worth faithful, expect Ortiz to channel that home-crowd adrenaline into a statement performance, blending his signature destruction with newfound ring IQ.

Erickson Lubin: The Hammer

Opposing the machine is Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin, a 30-year-old Orlando native with a 27-2 ledger, 19 KOs, riding a three-fight win streak into hostile territory. Lubin isn’t the flashiest name in 154, but his resume screams contender: ranked No. 1 by the IBF, he’s shared the ring with elites like Jermell Charlo (TKO loss in 2017) and Sebastian Fundora (TKO loss in 2022). What defines Lubin is his hybrid intellect. a savvy boxer-puncher who dissects with a piston jab, circles on fleet feet, and unleashes hammering power when the moment ripens. At 5’10” with a 72-inch reach mirroring Ortiz’s, he excels at range control, using angles and footwork to frustrate pressure fighters while slipping in counters that carry bad intentions.

Lubin’s style is cerebral yet ferocious: he probes with the jab to set traps, then explodes inside with body work and overhand rights, as evidenced in his 2025 unanimous decision over Ardreal Holmes Jr., where he neutralized a sniper by dictating pace and landing clean combinations. His losses highlight cracks—both stoppages came against taller, rangier southpaws who exploited his aggression—but they’ve honed a veteran edge. Recent wins over Luis Arias and Jesus Ramos Jr. showcase his adaptability: patient early, predatory late. Lubin doesn’t just survive; he studies, adapts, and strikes. As he told reporters this week, “I’ve seen it all… this is where I get all my glory.”

Against Ortiz, expect Lubin to make it a chess match, using movement to frustrate the Texan’s advances and hunting for that one big shot to flip the script.

Head-to-Head: Power vs. Polish in the Alamo City

On paper, this is a banger: Ortiz’s bulldozer pressure crashing against Lubin’s slippery counterpunching. Both men favor the orthodox stance and pack similar reach, but Ortiz’s volume (often 60+ punches per round) could force Lubin into uncomfortable firefights, where “The Hammer’s” power shines but his chin has faltered before. 

Lubin, ever the tactician, will likely circle early, jabbing to the body and picking off Ortiz’s advances, much like Madrimov did in Riyadh before ramping up in the middle rounds. The x-factor? Ortiz’s home turf and motivation; as he noted, Lubin’s “intellect, experience, and power” only fuels his fire to “win looking good.”

A Lubin upset vaults him toward Fundora or Charlo rematches; an Ortiz masterclass cements him as the division’s uncrowned king, eyeing full WBC glory.

The Verdict: Ortiz Edges a War, But Lubin Makes Him Earn It

Call me biased toward the unbeaten streak, but I’ll take Ortiz by late TKO in round 10. His pressure will wear down Lubin’s legs, turning a boxing clinic into a slugfest where the Texan’s power prevails. That said, don’t sleep on Lubin stealing rounds with slickness, this could easily spill into a decision classic. Win or learn, both emerge elevated in a 154-pound landscape ripe for upheaval. Fort Worth, get ready: the machine meets the hammer this Saturday! 

KEY INFO….

• Main card start: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. CT
• Main event ring walks (approximate): 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. CT
• Date: Saturday, November 8, 2025
• Venue: Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas
• Broadcast: DAZN 

By Vincent