Luís Arias Looking To Get Back In The Mix

On June 24, Premier Boxing Champions returns with a tripleheader at the Armory in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. Headlining the card is a middleweight clash between Dominican Carlos Adames and former unified super welterweight champion Julian Williams. Just before that bout Erickson Lubin and Luís Arias (20-3-1, 9 KOs, 1 NC) will face off at super welterweight. Ahead of fight night, Big Fight Weekend spoke to Arias about his beginnings in boxing, his upcoming clash, and what the future holds.

Early life

Arias was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which is also where he began to box. He is not the first boxer in his family. His father was an amateur boxer before stepping away prior to Arias’ birth. This was not a fact he was aware of until he got older.

“I used to always see these trophies [and] would think ‘oh, it’s just boxing trophies.’ That’s when my mom told me,” said Arias about how he found out about his father’s boxing career.

When he was seven, his mother helped him to find a sport he could play. Basketball and baseball were two sports Arias attempted to join at the United Convention Center (UCC), but to no success. Before long, he discovered the boxing gym that was upstairs and asked his mother if he could join. Due to his father’s boxing career, Arias’ mother knew UCC head trainer Israel Acosta.

“My mom introduced me to his coach, we saw him at a festival one time,” he explained. “When they told me I couldn’t play football we looked up at the boxing gym and I said ‘mom, didn’t you introduce me to the guy who runs that?’ Maybe he’ll let me box.”

Acosta did let him box. A year after joining the gym, he had his first ever fight at 65 lbs. Arias remained an amateur until the age of 22 when he decided to turn professional in November 2012.

Professional career

Arias made his debut against Josh Thorpe at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, winning a four round unanimous decision. Five years after making his professional debut, he had 19 fights under his belt and a record of 18-0 with nine wins coming by way of knockout (one fight in 2014 was ruled a no decision). The next six years of his career, however, have not exactly been ideal but he does not regret the path he has taken.

“Rough, but worth the journey,” reflected Arias when asked about this timespan. “I’ve had my ups and downs. I’ve had to move around, chasing my dream. Move from one side of the country to a different [side] chasing my dream. But it’ll be well worth it.”

“You just don’t want to be repeating the same mistakes. Every fight’s different, but, mistakes you make in fights you don’t get the result in, you switch it up. That’s what I’ve been doing.

Among the fights he did not get the result in are a unanimous decision loss to Daniel Jacobs, a split draw to Gabriel Rosado, and a points loss to Luke Keeler. Despite this three-fight stretch, Arias was able to return to the spotlight by defeating Jarrett Hurd via split decision in June 2021. However, when he returned to face Vaughn Alexander in December later that year, he lost yet again via a surprising split decision.

Arias has fought only once since that loss, claiming a unanimous decision against Jimmy Williams in May 2022. On June 24, he has the opportunity to make a statement in the 154-lb division.

Erickson Lubin vs. Luís Arias

According to Arias, talks for him to face Lubin began in early 2022. While Arias picked up a win that year, Lubin lost via corner stoppage after nine rounds against Sebastian Fundora. More than a year after that fight, talks resumed between Arias and Lubin.

“They called me [and said] ‘yo they want you fight Lubin.’ I spoke to Floyd [Mayweather Jr.] about it and he says ‘yeah, I think you and Lubin should fight.’ He made the fight happen and now we’re here.”

Arias believes that Lubin is a good fighter. Despite that, he also believes he can exploit Lubin’s weaknesses and emerge victorious.

“I think he’s a very skilled boxer but his weakness is that he doesn’t have good punch resistance. He gets hurt easily. Once he gets in a firefight, it usually turns bad for him. You can only move and box for so long.”

“I’m the type of fighter that, if you don’t want to sit there and dog it out, it’s going to end up bad for you.

Hear Dan Rafael and T.J. Rives previewing the Lubin-Arias fight on our “Big Fight Weekend Preview” podcast, as part of the Carlos Adames vs. Julian Williams main event card by clicking play below,

Arias further highlighted Lubin’s lack of punch resistance by stating his belief that this fight shouldn’t go the distance. He also believes that a fighter like Lubin would be easier to stop, given that two of Lubin’s losses have come by brutal stoppages.

“You can get knocked out in many ways but there’s two real bad ones and he got both of them. He got flatlined, one punch, and he got mauled just mauled for ten [the fight between Fundora and Lubin as stopped at the end of the ninth] rounds. That takes a lot out of you.”

Will Lubin return to winning ways or will Arias steal the show with another upset? On June 24, fight fans will finally see who emerges on top between the two live on Showtime Boxing.