Ardreal Holmes is the type of fighter who doesn't get things handed to him. As they call it, he has to get it out the mud. That may bother some, but Holmes doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty.

With a career that spans nearly a decade, Holmes, 30, is finally getting a shot on the big stage when he takes on Erickson Lubin. If fighting someone as highly ranked as Lubin wasn’t motivating enough, the IBF threw a bit of spice and incentive on their May 10th, showdown.

The organization has officially tabbed their matchup as a final eliminator. Meaning, the winner could be next in line for full titlist, Bakhram Murtazaliev. It’s all a humbling experience for Holmes. He remembers those early-morning jogs and late-night workouts.

Although they felt worthless initially, Holmes (17-0, 6 KOs) believes things are finally going his way.

“It feels like all my hard work is paying off,” said Holmes during an interview with Sean Zittel. “We’re finally here and we’re about to make the most of it.”

Murtazaliev’s IBF title is the crown jewel but before he gets there, he’ll have to deal with Lubin. It’s been a while since he was last spotted inside of a ring. For whatever reason, he was unable to ride the momentum associated with a win over highly ranked contender, Jesus Ramos Jr.

Instead of parlaying that victory into his own world title shot, Lubin (26-2, 18 KOs) sat on the bench for over a year. The Florida native claims there will be no rust on his game once he returns but Holmes isn’t so sure.

Still, despite his inactivity, Lubin marches into their showdown as the favorite. Picking against Holmes, however, doesn’t phase him. He also isn’t bothered by all the trash coming from his opponent. Come fight night, he plans on letting his fists do all the talking.

“He's gonna be shocked.”