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VERGIL ORTIZ JR READY TO DOMINATE ERICKSON LUBIN WITH TRADE WARFARE

Adam Booth believes Vergil Ortiz Jr. will defeat Erickson Lubin by stoppage in their junior middleweight bout. Read the top trainer's full breakdown of why Ortiz's relentless pressure will be too much for the skilled southpaw.

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Ortiz’s power punches await Lubin’s challenge - COURTESY/PHOTO

After engaging Erickson Lubin in a "trade up," Adam Booth claims that Vergil Ortiz Jr. will stop him.

Booth, who is tasked with getting his fighter Josh Kelly ready for his 2026 IBF title matchup with Bakhram Murtazaliev, will be watching the Saturday night bout between the opposing junior middleweights at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

On January 31, England's Kelly is scheduled to take on Murtazaliev, ending the Russian's more than a year-long hiatus after he defeated the esteemed Tim Tszyu in three rounds. Perhaps because of Murtazaliev's notoriety, the 30-year-old Lubin preferred to face Ortiz Jr.. Still, Booth believes Ortiz Jr. is just as dangerous and believes Lubin will not be able to handle his intensity.

Booth told BoxingScene, "Ortiz is a relentless pressure fighter who consistently creeps into range and lets rip with rapid, deadly blows, whether you punch or not." His vulnerability is that he can get caught when he opens up; however, these instances are much outweighed by his accomplishments.

"Lubin is a skilled competitor and a top operator. A smooth and competent southpaw. [But] even the best punchers can injure him.

When asked why he thinks Lubin preferred to fight the 27-year-old Ortiz over Murtazaliev, whom he is eager for Kelly to challenge, Booth, who is based in Surrey, England and was once the trainer of Andy Lee, George Groves, and David Haye, among others, said: "I suspect the Ortiz fight would be more commercially attractive."

Ortiz will win by stoppage, in my opinion. He will benefit from a "trade up" because of his strength and perseverance.

MAX VERSTAPPEN’S BRAZIL WEEKEND SHOCK — PIT LANE START LOOMING

Red Bull may start Max Verstappen from the pit lane at the Brazilian GP after a shocking Q1 exit. The team is considering "drastic changes" to fix the RB21's setup, a move that would break parc fermé rules.

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Max Verstappen was dealt a blow in his hopes of closing the gap to Lando Norris as he was knocked out in Q1 at Interlagos - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Red Bull is considering starting Verstappen in the pits following the Q1 shock.

Red Bull appeared to have finally found their stride again when it arrived in Interlagos. They were back in a hole by the end of qualifying, and they were facing a humiliating call that might force Max Verstappen to start in the pit lane on Sunday.

The RB21 was obviously lacking in speed and grip in all the wrong spots, and teammate Yuki Tsunoda was similarly unable to get out of the first sector after Verstappen was knocked out in Q1. Between the Sprint and qualification, the team reversed the cars out of the parc fermé, followed a daring course, and ended up getting lost. The dilemma now is whether to rip it up, break parc fermé once more, and start from the pits, or to double down on a misfiring configuration.

Helmut Marko was straightforward. Despite being fully aware that doing so would require Verstappen to launch from the pits rather than the P16 he now drives, he told Austrian TV that Red Bull will sit down and determine whether "drastic alterations" are required to wake the car up. Marko's conclusion was straightforward: Red Bull did not increase, the track climbed up, and grip vanished where it mattered. The stopwatch verified that Sectors 1 and 3 were the warning signs.

Just when Verstappen had established a run of six consecutive podium finishes to bolster his title challenge following Lando Norris' surge at the front, this is a gut punch. The wobble was previously hinted at in Mexico: Verstappen's podium there was more down to skill than speed in a race that Norris controlled, and Red Bull supplied bits but failed to receive the return. The group believed they had grasped the direction. Brazil disagrees.

The voice was regretful within the garage. When you roll the dice before quali and snake eyes appear, it is "the price you pay," as Laurent Mekies put it. The RB21 fell out of its sweet spot despite Red Bull's best efforts to expand its window for Interlagos' bumps and quick changes. It was apprehensive upon entrance, lethargic on traction, and far from compliant during the quick direction change at the Senna "S" and the sprint back up the hill during qualifying trim.

What is the play, then? Rather than violate parc fermé, take a pit-lane start, and give Verstappen a car he can really race with, why not stick with a problematic package and trust him to brute-force something out of it starting on 16th? If the car reacts, Interlagos may reward a clean, aggressive Sunday with chances offered by DRS trains and tyre life. Pit lane becomes less of a punishment and more of a reset if you are Red Bull and you think the baseline is essentially incorrect.

That path has a strategic advantage. The team is able to make ride height, wing, and mechanical adjustments that could extend the RB21's operating window and safeguard the back tyres, which is crucial in this situation, thanks to a pit-lane start. Interlagos loves a curveball, and if Safety Cars mess up the order, it also opens up an off-sequence approach. The danger is clear: by sacrificing track position, you could have recovered with a clean first lap and a focus on safety. Everyone in the garage wearing navy blue usually ends up with a car that Verstappen can rely on as a reward.

We all see the wider picture. Red Bull cannot afford to let free points linger in a setup sheet as Norris leads the rankings going into São Paulo. Even though Verstappen has been making podiums out of weak weekends, this one needs more than just tyre expertise. It must be reset.

Soon, we will be able to tell which way they jump. In any case, Sunday has already evolved into a test of a different kind for Verstappen and damage limitation for Red Bull. The nasty weekends, where you battle the car just as much as the field, are often crucial to title runs. This is among them. It might also be the day that Red Bull's season turns around if they have the courage. Otherwise, be prepared for a long afternoon attempting to get an uncooperative RB21 to cooperate around a circuit that penalises hesitation.

The margin has disappeared. A single swing can transform the automobile from compliant to difficult, and Red Bull's latest improvements have not produced the desired step. That was made public by Brazil. Who can adjust more quickly, the driver in the cockpit or the engineers on the pit wall? You would bet on the latter with Verstappen. However, the team must allow him to succeed.

WWE FANS EXCITED AS LIV MORGAN DROPS RETURN HINTS

Liv Morgan teases an imminent return from her shoulder injury on WWE programming. The former Women's World Champion hinted fans will have to "watch" for her comeback soon during a Stranger Things premiere.

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Liv Morgan sparks rumors with Stranger Things premiere appearance - Photo Credit: WWE

When can we expect to see Liv Morgan on WWE programming once more?

Following an unfortunate dislocated shoulder injury sustained during the June 16 episode of RAW, the former Women's World Champion has been absent from the WWE Universe. She may return sooner rather than later, though, based on a recent tease.

WWE Superstar Liv Morgan was present at Stranger Things Season 5's red carpet premiere. Morgan believed that Dominik Mysterio, the current double champion and member of The Judgment Day, would be the best WWE Superstar to defeat a Demogorgon.

"As the AAA Mega Champion and the WWE Intercontinental Champion, he can pretty much do anything," Liv Morgan remarked.

Regarding her professional life, Morgan acknowledges that she would be delighted to have Eleven as her tag team partner because she feels the two of them have a lot in common.

"Even after being knocked down, she always gets back stronger and more powerful than before," Liv Morgan remarked. She is the most recognisable. Since I would not have to do any work, she would make the ideal tag team partner. She would go above and above for me.

Morgan did not reveal anything when asked if she would soon be returning to WWE, but she hinted that it might happen soon.

Liv Morgan hinted, "I guess everyone will simply have to watch me."

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