Erickson Lubin has been on the big stage on numerous occasions, but each time, he has come up short.
This past Saturday night, at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, it happened again. The Ring’s No. 5 ranked junior middleweight was humiliated at the hands of
Vergil Ortiz Jr.,
losing via second-round stoppage.
Shortly after his defeat, Lubin revealed that he planned to move up in weight and try his luck at 160 pounds. But Hall of Famer Andre Ward, for one, doesn’t want to see the 30-year-old contender take any more punishment.
“I think one of the smartest things he can do is have an honest conversation with himself,” Ward said on "All The Smoke Fight." “I just don’t think the punch resistance is there at this point. The first big shot that he got hit with Saturday night, you can see his body kinda freeze up and not respond well. I don’t want to see Lubin fight anymore."
Lubin (27-3, 19 KOs) has been brutally stopped three times, against Jermell Charlo, Sebastian Fundora and Ortiz. However, at only 30, Lubin believes he can breathe new life into his career by making a few subtle adjustments.
Ward doesn’t believe the risk is worth the reward at this point. He suggests Lubin stay in the game as a mentor.
“He can have an impact somewhere else," Ward said. "He can share the things he did great and the things that worked, but also the things that didn’t work. He can share those experiences with the next generation and still be relevant in the game.
"I appreciate Lubin for not giving up, but I think your better days are in another place.”