Erickson Lubin has concluded that the junior middleweight division doesn’t suit him anymore.

The longtime 154-pound contender announced on Instagram that he will move up to middleweight for his next fight. Lubin suffered the third knockout loss of his career Saturday night, when Vergil Ortiz knocked him unconscious with a right hand in the second round of their fight for Ortiz’s WBC interim super welterweight title at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

“Saturday night, I was a prisoner of my own bad habits,” Lubin wrote, without identifying those bad habits. “But it’s just a lesson and I have to learn from it, turn [expletive] around, not make it a life sentence. I’ll be back, I’ll be better ... next time at Middleweight.”

Lubin, 30, has fought at or near the junior middleweight limit of 154 pounds for most of his 12 years as a pro and is The Ring's fifth-ranked contender in that division. The southpaw from Orlando, Florida debuted as a welterweight in November 2013.

Once considered one of the hottest prospects in boxing, Lubin has repeatedly fallen short when coming across elite opponents.

Following his first-round knockout loss to Jermell Charlo in October 2017, Lubin (27-3, 19 KOs) went on a run, winning six straight. However, he suffered another setback – this one coming at the hands of Sebastian Fundora via a corner stoppage after a nine-round “Fight of the Year” candidate in April 2022.

Although he did reel off three in a row before losing to Ortiz (24-0, 22 KOs), Lubin finds himself back in a familiar position.

The former title challenger believes he will breathe new life into his career with his 160-pound move. But before he focuses on the next phase of his pugilistic life, he took the time to tip his cap to his opponent.

“Live by the sword die by the sword,” Lubin continued. “Congrats to Team Ortiz.”