The middleweight division has always been a glamor spot in the sport of boxing. Some of the games best built their name and fame there, including Marvin Hagler, Bernard Hopkins, and most recently, Gennadiy Golovkin.

Over the years, however, the middleweight landscape has been dormant and flat-out uninteresting. Golovkin fights once in a blue moon and has vacated all of his titles, Canelo Alvarez hasn't competed in the weight class since 2019, and Jermall Charlo - the division’s biggest name, is seemingly on the verge of moving up to take on the previously mentioned Alvarez.

Although it might be viewed as a bit mundane, Erickson Lubin is rubbing his hands together. While he hasn’t fought in that once star-driven weight class, he’s ready to change that.

This past weekend, at the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lubin (25-2, 18 KOs) KO'd Luis Arias. Moments later, he watched Carlos Adames defend his WBC interim title against Julian Williams.

Lubin now has two options. One, he could wait until one of the sanctioning bodies mandates a showdown between himself and Jermell Charlo - or, he could throw on a few more pounds and compete in the middleweight division. Although Lubin still has some unfinished business at 154, the 27-year-old isn’t interested in sitting sequestered on the sidelines. If Charlo vs. Alvarez does happen and Adames is elevated, Lubin is ready to leave the junior middleweight division behind him.

“I know that WBC belt is going vacant,” said Lubin during a recent interview with BoxingScene.com. “Middleweight is wide open. I’m ready to get at it now.”

Since hitting the weight room and campaigning at 160 pounds, Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) has rejuvenated his career. Five consecutive victories, including four by stoppage, screams that Adames has found himself.

While each win is important, Adames believes that he’s digging himself a hole in terms of his opponent selection. Ultimately, Adames has stated time and time again that practically all of the top names are doing their best to eschew him.  

Lubin though, believes that Adames doesn't make a ton of sense. From his point of view, it isn’t as though Adames is some undefeated fighter that hasn’t shown any chinks in his armor.

Adames has certainly earned his respect but in terms of the worldwide fear that he believes he’s inserted into the hearts of everyone, Lubin isn’t buying it.

“I’ve seen him hurt, I seen him get beat. I don’t really feel like he’s the boogeyman of that division.”