Agreements “in place” for three junior middleweight title bouts

The 154-pound division doesn’t need Canelo Alvarez to be exciting. The Ring reports that WBC champion Jermell Charlo, WBA “Super” champion Erislandy Lara, and IBF champion Jarrett Hurd all have opponents for their next defenses.

Charlo (29-0, 14 KO) is set to face blue-chip prospect Erickson Lubin (18-0, 13 KO), who destroyed the dangerous Jorge Cota in March to become Charlo’s mandatory challenger. One month later, Charlo demolished Charles Hatley in three for his first defense and third consecutive knockout.

Lara (24-2-2, 14 KO), meanwhile, has agreed to face former Olympian Terrell Gausha (20-0, 9 KO). It’s a better fight than Lara vs. Yuri Foreman, at least, but definitely not what we want out of the ostensible best fighter in the division.

The IBF fight’s pretty damn good, though. Hurd (20-0, 14 KO) will hopefully finally fight Austin Trout (30-3, 17 KO). Hurd put in a quality performance against Tony Harrison last time out and Trout proved he’s still a factor in his close loss to Jermall Charlo last year.

None of these fights yet have dates or locations. Get on that, chaps.