(Photo credit: Nabeel Ahmad/Premier Boxing Champions) By Patrick McHugh: #2 WBC, #3 WBA, #4 WBO light heavyweight contender Andrzej Fonfara (28-3, 16 KOs) made weight on Friday in coming in at 174.5 pounds for his scheduled 12 round fight against prospect Joe Smith Jr. (21-1, 17 KOs) for their fight on Saturday night Premier Boxing Champions on NBC and NBCSN from the UIC Pavilion, in Chicago, Illinois.
Smith, 26, weighed in at 173lbs. This should be an interesting fight for while it lasts. Fonfara, 28, is seen as the far better fighter though, and this one figures to be a mismatch. Smith hasn’t been fighting quality opposition, and he was taken out in four rounds by a fighter named Eddie Caminero (6-3) in 2010. The Fonfara-Smith fight gives Fonfara a decent stay busy fight to keep him ready until he gets a title shot against one of the 175lb champions. It would be surprising if Smith is still aroun by the later rounds of the contest.
In what could be the most talented fighter on the card, unbeaten #7 WBC, #12 WBA junior middleweight contender Erickson Lubin (14-0, 10 KOs) weighed in at 153.5lbs for his 10 round fight against Daniel Sandoval (38-3, 35 KOs). Sandoval weighed in at 159.5lbs.
The 20-year-old Lubin is a fighter that has a real opportunity to go somewhere in the future as he slowly learns his trade at junior middleweight. Lubin could have fought in the Olympics, but instead he chose to turn pro at an early age. The Sandoval fight will give the 5’11” Lubin a chance to show off his talent to a lot of casual boxing fans that may have never seen him fight before. Lubin plans on making the most of the opportunity by taking Sandoval out when the opportunity presents itself.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to fight in Chicago and on this great stage,” Lubin said to ESPN.com. “I’ve had a great training camp. I’m ready to light this city up like Michael Jordan. I had a lot of time to improve my game and I feel like this Saturday I will be more than prepared. I’m planning on putting on a show.”
Fighting a guy with the knockout power and experience of Sandoval is a big step up in class for the 20-year-old Lubin from the guys he’s been fighting. Lubin has recently beaten Jose De Jesus Macias, Alexis Camacho, Orlando Lora, Ayi Bruce, Norberto Gonzalez, Michael Finney and Noe Bolanos. None of them were able to give Lubin any kind of real fight, as he was well above them in the talent department.
“I always want to be in tough matchups,” Lubin said. “It’s been tougher every time and I’ve still come out victorious. That won’t change on Saturday. I’m moving up the ladder and I’m ready. I’ve always known I would get here because I believe in myself and my team believes in me. I’m chasing that world title.”
Lubin has the talent to go far in the sport in the future. He’ll likely grow into the middleweight division before long. It’s hard to imagine Lubin not gaining weight in the future and ending up at middleweight if not super middleweight. It might be a difficult task competing with the monsters in the middleweight division like Gennady Golovkin, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs right now for Lubin. He’s got time to mature and prepare for when/if he does move up to 160. Right now, Lubin needs to make his mark in the 154lb division against guys like the Charlo brothers and Erislandy Lara. Those are the names he’ll wind up facing in the future if they stick around at junior middleweight enough for Lubin to fight them all.
Unbeaten WBA World bantamweight champion Juan Carlos Payano (17-0, 8 KOs) weighed in at 117.2lbs. for his rematch against Rau’shee Warren (13-1, 4 KOs). Warren weighed in at 117lbs. Payano, 32, defeated Warren by a 12 round split decision last August in a close fight. Warren dropped Payano in the 12th round. It was also a foul plagued fight with Warren losing two points in the 9th, and Payano one in the 3rd. Warren is currently ranked #12 by the WBA.
Other weights on the card:
Alex Martin 147 vs. Juan Carlos Abreu 147
Jose Felix Quezada 140.5 vs. Cameron Kreal 141.5
Ramiro Carrillo 136.5 vs. Jorge Luis Munguia 138
Josh Hernandez 129.5 vs. Eric Gotay 130
Hugo Centeno Jr 163 vs. Maciej Sulecki 159