There was a lot of hostility in the air today, while the WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders (25-0, 12 KOs) and former IBF World Middleweight Champion David Lemieux (38-3, 33 KOs) were hosting a press conference to discuss their upcoming showdown to be held on Dec. 16 at the Place Bell in Laval, Quebec.
Saunders vs. Lemieux is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Eye of the Tiger Management, in association with Frank Warren, and will be televised live on HBO World Championship beginning at 9:40 p.m. ET/PT.
Lemieux is very pumped for the contest, as a victory will place him in position for a fight against Canelo Alvarez or Gennady Golovkin in 2018.
"I think that you are in for a surprise. I will be at my best and take the title from you. If the fight demands me chasing you, I will chase you. If the fight demands me to go toe-to-toe, I will. On December 16, I promise that I won't leave the Place Bell without the belt. I'm extremely excited. Let's get it on," Lemieux said.
Marc Ramsay, trainer to Lemieux, is expecting a very competitive fight. When Canelo and Golovkin became unavailable, Ramsay says Lemieux wanted to face the very best fighter possible at the weight.
"I'm proud to train a boxer such as David Lemieux, who is a true warrior, a real champion, always up for real challenges. As soon as we found out that facing Canelo wasn't an option, we started looking at other options. David's request was clear: 'I want to face the best fighter available.' And, we found it in Saunders, and it's going to be a good challenge for David. Once again, he will give the fans a show to remember and a beautiful Christmas gift," Ramsay said.
"This fight is a great opportunity for David to write history and follow the steps of great Arturo Gatti, by becoming two time World Champion."