Erickson Lubin sends Ishe Smith into retirement

Erickson Lubin (20-0, 15 KOs) dominated veteran former IBF Super Welterweight World Champion Ishe Smith (29-11, 12 KOs) in every facet, every round. There was a lot of animosity heading into the fight, as both fighters verbally sparred back and forth at the weigh in.

Smith taunted Lubin for getting knocked out by Charlo in 2017, and Lubin mocked Smith for his age and losing ten times in his professional career up to that point. The animosity between them was settled in the ring, as Lubin completely annihilated Smith.

Lubin knocked down Smith four times and truly lived up to his moniker, “Hammer.” Heading into the fight, Smith had never been knocked out once in his 19-year professional career. Many expected the fight to go the distance and for Lubin to get some good work in and rejuvenate his confidence.

This fight proved to be more than a confidence booster for Lubin, as this performance arguably places him amongst the top fighters at 154 once again. Two top-notch light-middleweights in Tony Harrison and Julian Williams went the distance with Smith, and neither fighter scored a knockdown either. Smith held his own and competed against Harrison and Williams.

Lubin set the tone early on, being the more active fighter and touching up the veteran while remaining on the outside. His footwork and understanding of range was also noteworthy, as Smith struggled to fire off his punches from the opening bell. Lubin landed a devastating left hook over the top in the second round, and Smith was in retreat mode for the rest of the bout.

Ishe was knocked down once again that round, and it looked like it was going to be an early night for him. Lubin didn’t let up, and continued to press the action in the third round, knocking down Smith two more times. After getting knocked down a total of four times, Smith’s corner wisely stopped the fight after three rounds.

Lubin’s hard work with his new trainer Kevin Cunningham clearly payed off. His physical tools are still evident, but he now does a fine job of remaining on the outside and staying out of the line of fire when necessary.

Also, he is not fighting with his hands down as frequently. If he didn’t have his hands placed at his waist while in range against Jermell Charlo in 2017, he would not have been knocked out in the first round. Rather than dwelling on the devastating loss, he has taken the defeat as an opportunity to learn from his mistake and fine tune his skills.

Lubin will likely be a champion at 154 in the near future, as he clearly has the necessary talent to accomplish that goal. He possesses speed, power in both hands, and quality footwork. If he continues to stay focused and minimizes mistakes in the ring, he can beat anyone in the division.

Many doubted if Lubin was capable of greatness at light-middleweight after his knockout defeat, but it now appears he is back on track to eventually pick up a belt. Not only did he prove he was not finished, he demonstrated that he is a high-level fighter that is not to be taken lightly under any circumstance.