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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Lemieux vs. Ryder For WBA Super
Middleweight Elimination Bout On May 4
By Daniel Cloutier
MONTRÉAL — Former IBF middleweight (160 pounds) champion of
the world, the Montrealer David Lemieux will dispute his
first fight in the super middleweight (168 pounds) May 4th
at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and it will be an
important one. Lemieux (40-4-0) will face the British John
Ryder (27-4-0) in a WBA super middleweight elimination bout.
“It’s frequent in boxing that a fighter got to change of
division, and it’s exactly what it’s happening for Lemieux,”
said the promoter of the Golden Boy Promotions organization
in Los Angeles, the former champion of the world Oscar De La
Hoya. “David was an exceptional puncher in the middleweight
division, and I am sure he will be very dangerous in the
super middleweight division. I am sure this fight
Lemieux-Ryder will generate great action May 4th in Las
Vegas.”
Since a year, Lemieux got serious problems to maintain his
weight at 160 pounds.
The fight Lemieux-Ryder will be presented before the WBA,
WBC and IBF middleweight championship of the world opposing
the Mexican Saul Canelo Alvarez (51-1-2) to the New Yorker
Daniel Jacobs (35-2-0).
Lemieux is really prepared for this challenge.
“Ryder is an excellent opponent, but I am decided to prove
that I can perform in the super middleweight division, and I
will do it May 4th,” said Lemieux. “Some people believe it’s
a bad idea for me to move up in the 168 pounds division, but
you will see, I will be stronger than ever in this super
middleweight division. I am sure I will hurt a lot of
fighters of 168 pounds.”
Ryder replied: “I know that Lemieux is a powerful puncher,
but I am positive I have the technique and the mobility to
dominate him. Lemieux is especially dangerous against an
opponent who stays in front of him, but I know I can put him
in trouble in moving in the ring and attack him at the right
moments. I am very interesting to face my fellow countryman
Collin Smith, who is WBA super middleweight champion of the
world, then, it’s crucial for me to win this fight with
Lemieux.”
Ryder did not mention it, but we can presume he saw his
countryman Billy Joe Saunders (27-0-0) beat Lemieux by
unanimous decision in December 2017 at Place Bell in Laval,
in moving constantly in the ring, and in making surprising
attacks against the Montrealer.
The Ryder’s promoter, the British Ed Hearn, is clearly
impatient to assist to this bout. “Lemieux and Ryder are
both warriors in the ring, and May 4th, they will dispute a
crucial fight for their future on the international boxing
scene,” said Hearn. “I know that Lemieux is a dangerous
puncher, but I really believe that Ryder will do the
necessary to get out of the ring in the winning shoes.”
The Lemieux’s manager, the Montrealer promoter Camille
Estephan, the big boss of The Eye Of The Tiger Management
Group in Montreal, was very enthusiastic after he finalized
a deal with De La Hoya for this Cinco de Mayo boxing show.
“David was dreaming to dispute another major fight on the
international boxing scene, and he will realize his dream
May 4th,” said Estephan. “David knows that a win over Ryder
will place him in position to dispute a WBA super
middleweight championship of the world. I have a great
respect for Ryder, but I really think that David gonna win
this bout. David is so determinate to become back world
champion, and he will get this opportunity if he beats Ryder
May 4th.”
At his last bout, last September in Las Vegas, Lemieux
scored a significant win: he beat the Irish Gary O’Sullivan
(30-3-0), who was ranked sixth contender by the IBF, by KO
in the first round.
On his side, Ryder, at his last presence on the ring, last
October in England, beat the Russian Andrey Sirotkin by TKO
in the seventh round. Ryder became the first fighter to
inflict a defeat to Sirotkin (15-1-0).
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