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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Lemieux Could Fight Saunders
For The WBO World Title
By Daniel Cloutier
LAS VEGAS - David Lemieux is the new NABO middleweight
champion, and this North American title should help him to
get a WBO world championship next fall. Lemieux (35-3-0)
could face the British Billy Saunders (23-0-0) in Montréal
or in England in September or October.
This possibility has been revealed by Eric Gomez, the Golden
Boy Promotions vice-president. “The fight Lemieux-Saunders
is not done, but we will try our best to make it a reality,
said Gomez. This WBO middleweight championship of the world
could happen in September or a bit later. We have very good
relations with Frank Warren, Saunders’s promoter. If Warren
accepts a bout Lemieux-Saunders, and wants absolutely to
present the fight in England, we have no doubt that David
will accept to go in Europe to fight for this WBO world
championship bout.”
Lemieux mentioned several times in the last weeks that he is
extremely impatient to get another shot for a world title.
Lemieux became IBF middleweight champion of the world May
12th last year at Bell Centre in Montréal, when he beat the
French African Hassan N’dam N’jikam by unanimous decision.
However, Lemieux lost the title last October at Madison
Square Garden in New York, with a defeat by TKO in the eight
round against Gennady Golovkin (34-0-0) in an unification of
the WBA and IBF 160 pounds world titles. However, several
boxing writers are considering now Golovkin, a fighter from
Kazakhstan, as the new best fighter pound for pound in the
world.
“David has the desire to face Saul Canelo Alvarez, we know
it, however, we want to see him become WBO champion of the
world before we oppose him to Alvarez. No doubt that a match
up Lemieux-Alvarez for the unification of the WBC and WBO
middleweight world championships could be more attractive
for the networks and the boxing fans. Lemieux knows it like
us.”
Lemieux, obviously, will follow the road that Golden Boy
Promotions wants for him. “I am ready to respect the plan
that Golden Boy Promotions has for me, said Lemieux. For
sure, it would be exciting for me to face Billy Saunders,
because he is WBO champion of the world. As you know, I want
absolutely to get another shot for a world title, and as
soon as possible.”
Saturday evening in the ring of the T-Mobile Arena in Las
Vegas, Lemieux won the NABO middleweight championship in
beating the Jersey Boy, Glen Tapia (23-3-0) by TKO in the
fourth round. The fight was stopped when the Tapia’s corner
men threw the towel.
“David needed to get a solid performance against Tapia, and
he did it, said Eric Gomez. We will be able to go further
with him. We know how much David is motivated to get another
shot in a world championship bout, we will do everything
possible to help him to reach his goal.”
Lemieux is obviously in agreement with Gomez. “Like you
know, I was extremely determined to win this bout with Tapia
by KO and TKO, and I did it, said Lemieux. I fought with
determination and intensity from the beginning to the end. I
connected him with power shots in every round like I was
planning to do, then, I did exactly what I needed to do to
be back in the winning team. I know I hurt Tapia with my
solid body shots. As I said, I want to be involved in a
world championship bout as soon as possible, and I have the
conviction that Golden Boy Promotions and my manager Camille
Estephan will do everything possible to help me to realize
my dream.”
Marc Ramsay, the Lemieux’s trainer, said: “David needed to
fight aggressively and intensively against Tapia, and it’s
exactly what he did. He connected so many power shots to the
Tapia’s head and body. Some boxing fans got doubts about
David after his defeat against Golovkin, but he proved us
few hours ago that his confidence and determination still
crucial qualities for him. David wants to become back world
champion, and I am sure he will do it. Actually, he feels so
strong mentally, physically and technically. He showed it
every day in training during the last two months, and he
showed it clearly during this fight with Tapia. As you saw
it, David was in control of the action from the beginning of
the bout until his win by TKO.”
Camille Estephan said: “A great performance for David, and
an important step to another participation to a world
championship bout. We will have serious discussions with
Oscar De La Hoya (the Golden Boy Promotions promoter) in the
days, to finalize a deal with Frank Warren and Billy
Saunders.”
The Las Vegas bookies established Lemieux favorite to beat
Tapia by nine to one.
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