Dmitriy Salita has a unique understanding of the position occupied by Ardreal Holmes.

Salita was once an undefeated contender who took a steep step up in opposition when he challenged Amir Khan for the British star’s WBA 140-pound title 15 years ago. The long-retired Salita expects Holmes, an unbeaten junior middleweight contender his company co-promotes with DiBella Entertainment, to fare much better when he encounters Erickson Lubin on Saturday night than Salita did when Khan knocked him out in the first round of their December 2009 bout in Newcastle, England.

“Ardreal’s ring IQ is superb and his defensive skills are second to none,” Salita told The Ring. “He’s a very, very good fighter.”

Salita and Holmes nevertheless understand that the tall southpaw from Flint, Michigan is scheduled to oppose the most imposing opponent of his career in Lubin. The left-handed Lubin, of Orlando, Florida, has faced an impressive list of current and former 154-pound champions, including Jermell Charlo and Sebastian Fundora, and credible contenders during his eight-year run at the top of their division.

Holmes (17-0, 6 KOs) has remained active and undefeated while Lubin (26-2, 18 KOs) has waited for another meaningful fight since he edged then-unbeaten Jesus Ramos (23-1, 19 KOs) by unanimous decision on the Canelo Alvarez-Jermell Charlo undercard in September 2023 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The 30-year-old Holmes has fought three times in the 19 months since Lubin last boxed.

Salita sees his fighter’s activity as one of his advantages entering a 12-round IBF elimination match ProBox TV will stream as a main event on its YouTube channel from Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida. ProBox’s undercard coverage is set to start at 6:30 p.m. ET.

“What Ardreal has going for him is that he’s very active,” Salita said. “He’s fought three times in the last year, including a scoring an impressive knockout against Marlon Harrington. He has kept busy and the other two guys he fought were big, strong, aggressive guys that came after him. And I believe that both of those styles really helped Ardreal get ready for this fight. And then, you know, he worked his way toward this mandatory position.

“Lubin has been off for a significant amount of time and fighting a skilled boxer like Ardreal presents a whole set of challenges. I believe that Ardreal’s activity, defense and boxing skills are his strengths going into the fight. Lubin is explosive, he’s a big puncher and I do think he’s still young [29]. It’s really a great fight. I’m rooting for Ardreal and believe he has a great chance to win, but it’s really a pick ‘em fight.”

DraftKings lists Lubin as a 3-1 favorite to beat Holmes. The winner, short of a draw or no-contest, will become the IBF’s No. 1 contender for its junior middleweight champion, Russia’s Bakhram Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs).

Lubin is ranked No. 3 by the IBF, which left its top two spots open in the 154-pound division. Holmes is rated No. 6 by the IBF, but he jumped at this opportunity to battle Lubin once Holmes and his team learned that the IBF’s No. 4 and No. 5 contenders weren’t available to compete in this eliminator.

Holmes and Lubin will box near Lubin’s hometown because ProBox’s Garry Jonas out-bid Salita Promotions by $5,000 to win the IBF’s purse bid for the right to promote this bout. Salita would’ve staged Lubin-Holmes somewhere other than Kissimmee had his company come in over Jonas’ bid of $230,000.

“Ardreal knows that this is a tough fight, but this is a fight that he wanted to take,” Salita said. “These are the type of guys he has to beat, very good fighters, if he wants to become a world champion. And I believe that, at his best, he has the skills, the will and the conditioning to bring home the win.”