Bakhram Murtazaliev’s promoter’s promoter is a fight against his compulsory challenger, Erickson Lubin, for later this year.
Lance pugmire reports That Murtazaliev initially planned to get an exception to delay the title defense of Lubin (27-2, 19 COs) to oppose Josh Kelly, but that was not possible. It is better for our fans that the fight does not happen, as there would be not much interest in a clash between Murtazaliev and Kelly. It would be considered a mismatch in favor of Bakhram.
Lubin’s title chasing
Lubin, 29, insists on the Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 food) title fight since he was Ardreal Holmes Jr. on May 10. Knocked out. He said he wanted his rightful title against the IBF champion, and it seems like it’s going to happen.
Murtazaliev’s promoter, Kathy Duva, also wanted to fight against the WBC Tus-Tus 154-Pond Champion, Vergil Ortiz Jr. Turki Alalshikh, tried to fight. Ortiz jr. Did not want to take it because of the IBF’s fight with a 10-pound battle date. That would have been a problem for him. Interestingly, Vergil jr. Moved up in 2024 to 154. It’s not as if he’s fighting in the junior middleweight division for years. He just showed up a year ago.
Lubin has won his last three fights since he was stopped by Sebastian Fundora in 2022. The fight was a war with Erickson in Round 3, Fundora struck the canvas in seventh, and the referee stopped the competition after the ninth round at the request of Lubin’s coach.
Erickson suffered from bad swelling from his face and was beaten to be allowed to continue. Lubin’s other career defeat came against Jermell Charlo when he was knocked out in the first round on October 14, 2017.
Bakhram looked like an animal in his last fight and the former WBO champion Tim Tszyu knocked out in the third round on October 19, 2024. Murtazaliev dropped Tszyu three times in the second round and once in third place.
Last updated on 07/15/2025
