Erislandy Lara, 39 and still punching, wants to face the best at middleweight
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Erislandy Lara isn’t quite finished at 39.
The former 154-pound beltholder and longtime boogeyman in and around his weight is making another title run, this time at 160. He moved up to middleweight for his last fight – a first round knockout of Thomas LaManna in May of last year – after fighting his entire pro career at junior middleweight.
Lara (28-3-3, 16 KOs) faces veteran Gary O’Sullivan in his second fight at 160 on the Gervonta Davis-Rolando Romero pay-per-view card Saturday at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn.
“I feel strong at 160 pounds,” he said. “I showed that in my last fight and I’ll show it again in this fight. I’m ready to display all of my skills once again.”
The gifted Cuban southpaw has many important victories in his career but also a number of losses or draws that ended in controversy, as he seemed to end up on the wrong end of disputed decisions too often.
That includes fights in 2018 and 2019, when he lost his 154-pound title to Jarrett Hurd by a split decision and drew with Brian Castano in his subsequent fight.
Lara has won three in a row since then, stopping Ramon Alvarez, outpointing Greg Vendetti and then moving up in weight to KO LaManna.
He hopes a victory over O’Sullivan will lead to matchups with the biggest names in the division, Jermall Charlo, Demetrius Andrade and perhaps the winner of the projected fight between Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin.
Lara lost a disputed split decision to Alvarez back in 2014.
“Come May 28, when I come out victorious, I’m ready to fight the best in the division,” he said. “I’m not even going to mention their names, because I’m tired of doing that. I’m just focused on getting in the ring with all the best fighters.”
Of course, the top 154-pounders were never in a hurry to face him for an obvious reason. Will anything change at the higher weight class?
“People are avoiding me at 160 pounds just like they did at 154,” he said. “I’m a tough matchup for anyone out there. That’s why they don’t want to fight me.”
Even at 39.
