On Saturday October 14, 2017 Showtime Championship Boxing presents a stacked Junior Middleweight tripleheader.
The Premier Boxing Champions event taking place at Barclays Center, the home of Brooklyn Boxing, features five fighters ranked in the top 10–and four in the top five–in one of boxing’s deepest divisions.
The Showtime telecast begins at 10:00 pm, EST and is headlined by WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara making the sixth defense of his title against undefeated contender Terrell Gausha.
In the co-feature, WBC Super Welterweight champion Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo will defend his title against fellow unbeaten No. 1 contender Erickson “Hammer” Lubin.
IBF Junior Middleweight champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd makes the first defense of his title against former world champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout in the televised opener.
Read on for Round By Round Boxing‘s staff predictions for Showtime’s tripleheader and let us know who you are picking to win each bout.
Round By Round Boxing Staff Predictions - 2020
| Name | Win | Loss | Total Fights | Win Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Burgos | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0.5 |
| Hans Themistode | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0.66666666666667 |
| R.L. Woodson | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0.8 |
| Robert Contreras | 6 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
Jarrett Hurd vs. Austin Trout
Liam Brady, Graphic Designer/Staff Writer
I am picking Austin Trout in a competitive fight. Granted, Jarrett Hurd does have the size advantage, and has less mileage, but he is there to be hit, and Trout, despite his losses, is someone you cannot count out.
Trout had an extremely competitive fight with Jermall Charlo, in his last outing, and I think that showed that Trout still has something to give at the top level.
I believe it also proved that his experience and trickiness can create problems for prospects working their way up the boxing ladder. Furthermore, this is definitely a step up in competition for Hurd, and is a great acid test in terms of his status as a top level fighter. But it may be too soon for him, due to the experience and durability of Trout.
Hurd doesn’t utilize his range as much as he probably should, so I see Trout having success landing shots, despite being notably smaller. I also believe his performance against Charlo would have uplifted him, by proving to himself he is not done. Therefore, I think he will come into this fight confident and ready to prove a point, by becoming a champion again.
To conclude, I see Austin Trout using his ring experience to secure the rounds and eventually win a competitive, but clear, decision. Hurd does have talent, but I still think he is rough around the edges, and this may be his undoing when coming up against someone with Trout’s credentials.
Prediction: Trout
Brandon Glass, Staff Writer
Jarrett Hurd’s time is now and he’s been impressive in his last four outings. Outside his title defense over future Hall-of-Famer Miguel Cotto, Austin Trout can’t seem to win consistently at the world class level.
I think Hurd is on the cusp of being world class level talent, if he isn’t already.
Ultimately, Trout can serve as a gatekeeper and test the young champion. Trout had a good run, though I think he’s seen better days. Hurd will be successful in his first title defense and his impressive KO streak will continue.
All Hurd has to do is land that signature uppercut.
Prediction: Hurd
Vince Minnick, Staff Writer
Fight of the night will be between “Swift” Jarrett Hurd and Austin “No Doubt” Trout.
Trout has proved he can hang in there and beat some of the best at 154, but hasn’t been able to win his biggest fights; losing to Canelo Alvarez, Erislandy Lara and Jermall Charlo.
He has a great head for boxing, but won’t be working with a lot of athletic advantages in this fight.
Prediction: Hurd
CJ Halloran, Staff Writer
Maybe it’s the Maryland in me, but I have Jarrett Hurd all the way.
I believe that Austin Trout has approached the decline of his career, whereas Hurd has nowhere to go but up. I have Hurd by UD.
Prediction: Hurd
Mike Burnell, Staff Writer
In other Super Welterweight championship action, “Swift” Jarrett Hurd gives former belt holder Austin “No Doubt” Trout an opportunity to seize control of the IBF throne at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY this weekend.
Trout has been a proven player as evidenced by a close decision loss to Canelo Alvarez and victory over Miguel Cotto, among other solid competition.
Hurd seized the vacant IBF title with an impressive stoppage over tough, undefeated Tony Harrison in February.
This contrasts with Trout’s last effort, a losing one over 12 rounds to Jermall Charlo a year and a half ago. In addition to activity, the 6’1″ Hurd boasts a considerable height advantage over the 5’9″ southpaw as well as four inches reach.
It will be interesting to see which holds the greater weight in this match; height, reach and youth vs. guile, will and skill.
This is a fight that the young champion Hurd is supposed to win. In a night featuring multiple Super Welterweight title fights it is clear that the results will align other interesting and lucrative unification matches.
Hurd will do his job and get the W, but not without considerable effort. He will retain his championship with a close, but unanimous decision.
Prediction: Hurd
R.L. Woodson, Staff Writer
Jarrett Hurd’s been honest about the damage he sustained in his IBF title-winning performance versus Detroit, Michigan’s Tony Harrison. Hurd and his camp seemingly relied on Harrison being tripped up by his well-known stamina issues, and as expected, Harrison gassed out in the eighth and ninth round where he was stopped.
Hurd’s looking to shake off the perception of being the weakest champion in the division, and I think another high contact fight for the Maryland native is going to get it done.
Look for Hurd to pressure Austin Trout before he fully gets his ring rust knocked loose, and see if the former world champion can survive Hurd’s uppercuts in Round 8 and 9. Hurd gets title defense No. 1, and stops Trout in doing so.
Prediction: Hurd
Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief
Being from the Washington DC-area I’ve followed Jarrett Hurd for a long time. He’s a humble and hard-working kid, and winning his first world title has not changed that.
I liked what I saw in terms of style when I visited Hurd in training camp, so I’m banking on Hurd’s power–and Trout’s age–being the difference in this fight.
Trout hasn’t fought in nearly 15 months, and while he says he’s stayed active in the gym, being in an actual fight is different. I think Trout, being the smart ex-champion that he is, will have some success early by boxing and moving, but he’ll begin to slow down and in short exchanges is where Hurd will turn the tide.
Hurd’s inside game, particularly the short upper he throws, is a thing of beauty. I will say Hurd by decision and will be really impressed if he stops Trout.
Prediction: Hurd
Jermell Charlo vs. Austin Trout
Liam Brady, Graphic Designer/Staff Writer
A fantastic fight, with two extremely talented fighters. It’s a tough one to call, but I am going with Jermell Charlo via decision.
I think both fighters will have their moments of success, but I favor Charlo more, over the 12 rounds. As of now, I believe he is the more polished fighter, and his jab, speed, and head movement will be crucial in avoiding Lubin’s arsenal, while landing his own shots.
Whether Charlo loses his title, or Lubin fails to take the WBC strap, both fighters are more than capable of coming back and being champion, without a doubt.
Prediction: Charlo
Brandon Glass, Staff Writer
This is the most compelling matchup of the weekend. Both of these fighters can crack and they’re relatively young. This is the toughest fight in their respective careers. I really see this fight as a pick’em.
Erickson Lubin is a highly-touted prospect that has raw talent and power, though he is largely untested. Charlo has advantages in speed and is the more polished of the two fighters. He’s got the better jab and is craftier than he gets credit for.
Lubin is known for solid work to the body and has gotten better with each fight. While most of his opponents weren’t the most notable, they were solid competition for the prospect.
I think for Lubin to win he’s going to need to start fast and keep the pressure on Charlo. He may even need the knockout, recalling how Charlo struggled against John Jackson for most of that fight until he knocked him out to win the title he’s defending on Saturday.
Though I wouldn’t be mad if Lubin won, I think Charlo successfully defends with a late-round stoppage.
Prediction: Charlo
Vince Minnick, Staff Writer
Jermell Charlo vs. Erickson Lubin could be an interesting fight. There is some speculation that Charlo is underestimating his opponent and Lubin seems very confident going into a title fight at only 22 years old.
I won’t predict an upset, but Lubin will test Charlo and make him fight. Charlo’s experience here trumps Lubin’s guts. The Iron Man remains unbeaten.
Prediction: Charlo
CJ Halloran, Staff Writer
This is the hardest fight of the night to predict. Both Jermell Charlo and Erickson Lubin have hands on hands, and I think that they are both in the top four fighters in their weight class.
Both men are fighting for their respective cities as well, as Lubin is an Orlando native and Charlo hails from Houston.
That being said, I believe that Charlo is a better boxer than Lubin, although he falls short to Lubin’s power. I believe it will be a very exciting fight, but as both men get tired, I see Lubin picking it up and taking Charlo out in the championship rounds.
Prediction: Lubin
Mike Burnell, Staff Writer
This match may well be the most compelling clash on a weekend jammed with boxing. Someone’s 0 must go, as it has often been said.
WBC Super Welterweight champion Jermell Charlo is clearly a very gifted, driven young fighter who is entering his prime.
22-year-old challenger Erickson “Hammer” Lubin is also clearly a very gifted, driven young fighter however he is still developing and not yet reached his prime.
Lubin, a southpaw from Orlando, Florida has been brought along quickly and through his brief ascent to a title shot has proven to be a very patient, measured and disciplined fighter.
Expect to see an exciting, competitive display of fisticuffs that will see both of these young lions having moments of brilliance as they exchange momentum throughout this fight.
Erickson Lubin will one day have a championship belt wrapped around his waist. Unfortunately for this young man it will not happen this weekend.
Another cliché often used in boxing is “too much too soon” and in this particular case it pertains to his aforementioned rise to a title shot.
Charlo will retain his title via late stoppage while Lubin will gain many fans and garner valuable experience.
Prediction: Charlo
R.L. Woodson, Staff Writer
Erickson Lubin might be young, but he says and believes he’s ready. This showdown features Thor… ahem, a fighter with hammer hands and Iron Man. I like Iron Man to be a little more craftier at this stage in his career, and to subject Lubin to some adversity he hasn’t yet encountered in the ring.
Similar to his older brother Jermall, Jermell’s power numbers seem to be on the rise in their recent outings, but resorting to an arms race in this fight–at least early in the fight–might give Lubin a realistic route to a victory.
Charlo gets pushed by the upstart, but he holds onto his belt at the end of the night.
Prediction: Charlo
Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief
This is the fight I want to see most on Saturday night. Jermell Charlo, Erickson Lubin and their respective camps, haven’t stopped talking all week which has built up the hype for this fight even more.
Will Jack and Sledge come out to play and help Lubin win his first world title, or will Charlo tame the hungry contender and help him stake his claim as the best 154-pound fighter in the world?
Tough fight to call, and while I’d say Charlo has better boxing ability and more tools in the shed at this point in his career, I think that Lubin’s power can and will be the difference in the first six rounds.
I will say Lubin by stoppage in the middle-to-late rounds, but if Charlo can take Lubin’s shots and extend the young fighter into the later rounds, he could definitely score a stoppage of his own.
Prediction: Lubin
Erislandy Lara vs. Terrell Gausha
Liam Brady, Graphic Designer/Staff Writer
I believe we will see a customary Erislandy Lara performance. He will be patient, calculated, and too smart for Terrell Gausha, which is often the case when a fighter comes up against the skillful Cuban.
I think there is the potential of a late stoppage, if Lara decides to press the matter, but I am leaning towards a dominant win via decision.
Prediction: Lara
Brandon Glass, Staff Writer
Terrell Gausha has had one of the more pedestrian pro careers in comparison to most of his 2012 Olympic teammates. He’s undefeated in 20 fights but has yet to make a mark in the pro game.
His resume is lacking in notable opponents and none of his wins have come by spectacular fashion. This is a crazy step up in competition for him in Lara, one of the fight game’s most polarizing fighters (depending on who you ask).
Lara has been described as a technical genius to a fault, as many declare they’d be more entertained watching paint dry. Putting it bluntly, the Cuban has all advantages, particularly in experience, punching power and overall boxing ability.
I believe Gausha takes his first L, unless we get the version of Lara that barely escaped with a draw against Carlos Molina.
Prediction: Lara
Vince Minnick, Staff Writer
Erislandy Lara hasn’t been overly impressive in his title reign at 154 pounds. His opposition has been pretty weak since his fight against Canelo Alvarez.
His style has kept many promoters from chancing their top 154 fighters, and this may be another example. Terrell Gausha is one of the few Olympians from the 2012 USA team that hasn’t made a name for himself as a professional.
His record, 20-0, is nice on paper, but not much of a scare for Lara. He’ll handle Gausha with relative ease. Lara UD
Prediction: Lara
CJ Halloran, Staff Writer
Erislandy Lara vs. Terrell Gausha is the definition of experience versus youth. Gausha is 30, but he is still climbing in his career, whereas Lara is 34 and has to prove he is not on the decline in his career.
That being said, I think Lara’s experience with elite fighters will give him the upper edge in this bout against Gausha, so I have Lara by UD.
Prediction: Lara
Mike Burnell, Staff Writer
Southpaw Cuban slickster Erislandy “The American Dream” Lara has won every professional fight in which he has engaged with the exception of “Canelo” Alvarez and Paul Williams.
Both of those decisions were steeped in controversy as an ample amount of experts and spectators saw things quite differently than the judges.
Former American Olympic hopeful Terrell Gausha is hoping to cause an international incident when he challenges for Lara’s WBA and IBO Super Welterweight titles.
Gausha started his professional career in 2012 and has since reeled off 20 consecutive victories (albeit against non-descript opposition) on his path from prospect to contender to challenger, which culminates at Barclays Center in Brooklyn Saturday night.
After the first round this fight will not be close. There is a boxing cliché “there are levels to boxing” and this will be made so clear even Adelaide Byrd could see it.
Lara by lopsided decision.
Prediction: Lara
R.L. Woodson, Staff Writer
Terrell Gausha is a solid fighter who’s watched a couple of his 2012 Olympic teammates go on to claim world titles or become top contenders.
He’s said and done all the right things since being named Erislandy Lara’s opponent, but upsetting the division’s longest reigning titleholder is a tall order. By headlining the Super Welterweight tripleheader, the pressure is on Lara to put on a great performance, and Gausha has been down in a couple of fights.
Lara gets the win based on his experience advantage and boxing acumen.
Prediction: Lara
Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief
If Erislandy Lara is still one of the best technicians in boxing, which I think he is, he shouldn’t have a problem picking Terrell Gausha apart.
Gausha has experience, he is a former Olympian, but I don’t think he’s in Lara’s league.
I think Lara takes a comfortable decision unless he wants to step on the gas pedal a bit and attempt to please the crowd which may not stick around if it becomes a stinker.
Prediction: Lara
