Ortiz, Lubin Trade Respect and Promises of Fireworks Ahead of Texas Showdown

Under a crisp Texas sky at Sundance Square, the final press conference for Virgil Ortiz Jr. and Erickson Lubin felt more like a prelude to war than a formality. Cameras lined the stage, fans crowded the plaza, and Golden Boy Promotions chairman Oscar De La Hoya reminded everyone what was at stake: “This fight feels like a send-off for superstardom.”

Ortiz, the undefeated Grand Prairie native with 21 knockouts in 23 fights, will meet Florida’s Erickson “Hammer” Lubin for the WBC interim super welterweight title Saturday night at Dickies Arena. Both fighters spoke with respect — but every word carried edge.

“I always want to fight the best,” Lubin said. “They got Virgil Ortiz number one at 154. A big win over him puts me right there as the number one guy.”

Ortiz didn’t flinch. “Lubin probably has the best résumé at 154,” he said. “He’s been calling for this fight for a while. I was like, why not? It’s a great fight. I know the fans will love it.”

De La Hoya, watching from the front row, called the matchup “dangerous for both.” He added, “Lubin’s fought world champions. Ortiz takes on all comers. That’s why this fight can’t miss.”

Ortiz’s manager Rick Mirigian echoed the sentiment. “This is a real fight,” he said. “No gimmicks, no setups — just two fighters who know how to fight. You’ll see fireworks and the birth of a superstar Saturday night.”

Lubin, calm and confident, brushed off the underdog talk. “I don’t care if we fought in his backyard,” he said. “Texas has been good to me. Every time I’ve fought here, I’ve walked away with a knockout. Saturday won’t be different.”

Ortiz smiled when asked for final thoughts. “What am I supposed to say after that?” he said. “He hit that on the spot. It’s going to be a great night for the fans.”

With more than 9,000 fans expected at Dickies Arena, De La Hoya called the atmosphere “electrifying” and predicted “fight-of-the-year potential.” The card will also feature prospects Amari Jones, Joshua Edwards, Robin Safar, and Eric Priest, plus a co-feature between Darius Fulghum and David Stevens before Ortiz and Lubin headline live on DAZN.