After Luis Arias was given a final warning for landing a pair of cheap shots, Erickson Lubin decided to initiate some karma of his own.

The junior middleweight contender turned the tempo up, freezing Arias with a left hand to the body before a right hook to the ear put Arias down. Arias made a futile attempt to get the knockdown ruled a rabbit punch, and was counted out at the 2:11 mark. Arias protested that he beat the count but the referee counted ten just as Arias was rising to his feet.

No ring rust for The Hammer 🔨@EricksonHammerL bounces back with a KO win over Arias 👊#LubinArias #AdamesWilliams pic.twitter.com/Jgn6CBaVzo

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) June 25, 2023

The win returns Lubin (25-2, 18 knockouts) of West Palm Beach, Fla. to the winner’s circle after losing by ninth round stoppage in his most recent bout, a Fight of the Year candidate against Sebastian Fundora in April of 2022. Lubin, 27, entered the fight rated no. 5 by The Ring at 154 pounds, while Arias, 33, of Delray Beach, Fla. was unrated.

The loss is the latest speed bump for Arias in an up-and-down career which has seen him pull off wins over respected fighters like Jarrett Hurd, only to lose upsets to fighters like journeyman Vaughn Alexander.

Two judges had Lubin ahead at the time of stoppage by scores of 40-36 and 39-37, while the third had it even at 38-38.

The fight was the co-featured bout on the Showtime Championship Boxing tripleheader which is headlined by Carlos Adames vs. Julian Williams.