Lubin seals WBC title shot, Ennis extends KO streak

Erickson Lubin earned another title shot at old foe Jermell Charlo after registering a clear points verdict over former US Olympian Terrell Gausha at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut on Saturday night.

Scores were 118-110, 116-112 and 115-113. Lubin was buzzed in the 10^th round but largely dictated proceedings to rubber stamp a WBC 154lbs title crack against Charlo who toppled him in a solitary round back in October 2017.

Charlo is involved in a unification clash with WBA Super and IBF title-holder Jeison Rosario next weekend but the winner must face Lubin in 2021.

“I definitely made a statement,” said Lubin. “I beat one of the top guys in the division, and that’s always a statement. I feel like I beat one of the top 154 pounders and I’m going to keep doing that. I’m going to stay in the gym and keep getting better. I know I hurt him in the last round. I was trying to get him out of there, but still be cautious. He was game. He’s an Olympian with good experience, so I didn’t want to get too wild.

“I think Jermell Charlo is going to come out on top against Jeison Rosario. I’m ready for a rematch if he can take care of business like I did. I changed up a lot since the first fight. I have a master trainer in my corner in Kevin Cunningham, along with my long time trainer Jason Galarza. I’m just all around a better fighter since the first time we fought.”

Orlando southpaw Lubin (23-1, 16 KOs) was bossing what was largely a tactical affair before the fight heated up in the eighth. Lubin backed Gausha (21-2-1, 10 KOs) into a corner with a straight left and finally let his hands go.

Two rounds later, Lubin was on the receiving end as he was wobbled by a Gausha right hand out of a clinch that made the Florida fighter lose his footing. Cleveland’s Gausha pounced but was unable to take advantage.

On the undercard, red hot Philadelphia welter Jaron Ennis scored his 16^th straight KO by halting the durable Juan Carlos Abreu, who had never previously been stopped, in the sixth.

Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) scored a knockdown in the fifth and two more in the sixth before the fight was waved off with Dominican Abreu (23-6-1, 21 KOs & 1 NC) in no position to continue. Abreu had weighed in 3 ¼ pounds over the contracted weight on Friday.

“I was in there having my fun, then my dad [and trainer Derek ‘Bozy’ Ennis] said to stop playing with him, and that it’s time to take him out, so that’s what I did,” said Ennis. “I know he’s fought some tough guys in the past. Compare what I did to what they did. It shows the different skill level and attributes that I have. I made a statement tonight and stopped someone who’s never been stopped. Bring on the top 10 and top five guys or title eliminators. I’m coming for the championship next year.”

Meanwhile, Mongolian Tugstsogt ‘King Tug’ Nyambayar scored two early knockdowns to eke out a split-decision over Barbados’ Cobia Breedy in a WBC 126lbs title eliminator. Scores were 114-113, 114-112 for Nyambayar, over-ruling a 115-111 nod for Breedy..

Former WBC title challenger Nyambayar (12-1, 9 KOs) barely won after scoring knockdowns in the first and second rounds as the busy Breedy (15-1, 5 KOs) traded with the harder puncher and pushed him to the brink.

“It was a tough fight,” admitted Nyambayar. “I have a lot of respect for Cobia Breedy. It was a very tough fight. He’s a great boxer. I think I won the fight. I got the job done. I’m ready for the next step. I knew it was a close fight, but I wasn’t thinking about the score. I was surprised it was a split decision, but I thought I did enough to get the win.”

Main image: Lubin (right) outsmarts Gausha. Photo: Amanda Westcott/Showtime.