Probably my two longtime favorites in a division about which I don't much generally care. This is just a hypothetical (although in the past their names have been mooted for a clash, including as recently I believe as this past February) - but would be a fun and competitive match-up. They do not occupy top 15 spots in any ranking org together, but Lubin is the WBC mandatory positioned to remach Jermell Charlo after Charlo rematches Brian Castaño in February, and Williams is currently IBF #12 and WBA #4. They were neck & neck in the Ring Magazine ratings for most of the summer with Lubin fourth and Williams fifth, but with J-Rock losing to Vladimir Hernández last month a sizable wedge has been driven with him actually dropping from its top-10 altogether. Each has been knocked out by a Charlo brother (Jermell for Lubin and Jermall for Williams), each has taken a points victory over Nathaniel Gallimore (unanimous for Lubin in 2019 and majority for Williams a year prior), each has defeated Ishé Oluwa Kamau Ali Smith (Lubin by corner retirement in 2019 and Williams via UD in 2017), each has stopped Orlando Lora (Lubin in six rounds in 2015 and Williams in three in 2013), and each has tangled with Jeison "Bananaman" Rosario (Lubin stopping him in six via body shot this past June, and Williams getting stopped by him in January of last year) Williams is five years older, with three more spent in the pros, and has a ½" advantage in height but would be giving up 2" in reach versus the southpaw Lubin. Williams claimed both the IBF and WBA titles at 154lbs in 2019 when he upset Jarrett Hurd, while Lubin is yet to ever taste world championship gold. The younger man, however, was named both Ring Mag and ESPN prospect of the year in 2016 - and his amateur career was twice as fruitful, with the Hammer going 143-7 compared with 77-10 for J-Rock. Both are well-rounded born-and-bred East Coast boxer-punchers, representing Orlando and Philly respectively.
I'd pick Lubin to stop him. He's pretty chinny and Lubin has good power. Would be a good fight though.
Both are super chinny but the best and worst thing that happened to J-Rock was the Hurd victory. He was able to bully Hurd and was much stronger so he kept that mindset against Rosario and Hernandez. Lubin can KO Williams if he avoid those small mental lapses defensively. That KO loss to Charlo has kinda made him terrified him of getting hit. He showed me a lot by getting off the ground and finishing Rosario. Nobody outside Charlo, Castano should be able to beat Lubin at this point. I wouldn’t mind seeing Tszyu vs Lubin but I doubt that happens.
