By Jake Donovan
David Lemieux remains brimming with confidence as fight night draws nearer. The middleweight titlist from Montreal is tasked with the most dangerous assignment in the division, as he faces unbeaten fellow titlist Gennady Golovkin this Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The pairing of explosive punchers headlines on HBO Pay-Per-View, and the bout officially kicks off an active 4th quarter for the middleweight division. Next month, World middleweight champion Miguel Cotto faces Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, while December features Daniel Jacobs and Peter Quillin in an all-Brooklyn matchup and Andy Lee facing Billy Joe Saunders in Manchester, England.
Of the four bouts – really of the eight fighters involved – Lemieux is viewed as having the least chance of winning. It’s not an indictment on his own skillset, but more so the fact that in the opposite corner resides whom many believe to be far and away the best middleweight on the planet.
Lemieux was well aware of that when the fight was first presented to him, shortly after his 12-round decision win over Hassan N’Dam to earn a middleweight belt in June. He was aware of it when agreeing to terms, and in the two months of pre-fight hype leading to this point.
It’s still fresh on his mind in the days ahead of the biggest fight of his career, though perhaps only because he’s constantly reminded of his role as the underdog. Make no mistake, though; Lemieux did not cross the Canada/U.S. border just to serve as a high-profile opponent.
“I'm not here to play; I'm here to make history,” Lemieux (34-2, 31KOs) told host Jessica Rosales shortly after the pre-fight press conference Wednesday afternoon in New York City. “I've done everything it takes in the gym to make sure that... I leave Madison Square Garden with the belts.”
Lemieux comes in having won nine straight since a disastrous 2011 campaign that resulted in the lone two losses of his career. It was a dark year in his career, but one that prompted sweeping changes among his team, including his teaming up with top trainer Marc Ramsay.
“I come from far. I've faced a lot of victories. I faced defeat,” Lemieux pointed out during his time at the podium on Wednesday. “Nothing is more exciting and gratifying than a beautiful victory, which is what I'm planning on Saturday.
“I couldn't be (happier) to be where I am today. I've come a long way, made a lot of changes in my life. All of what I've done in the past has led to where I am supposed to be today.”
Where he is today is days away from the first middleweight title unification bout since Bernard Hopkins knocked out Oscar de la Hoya in the 9th round of their Sept. ’04 meet. The two have remained close, with Hopkins going on to play an active role in the Golden Boy Promotions company that de la Hoya founded and currently serves as its president.
There’s no telling what the future has in store for Golovkin and Lemieux beyond fight night. In fact – and despite the odds – there’s really no telling what fight night has in store. All that Lemieux can promise is to handle any given situation thrown his way.
“I know Gennady said he wants to make it a street fight. We can make it a street fight. Whatever Gennady is ready to bring, we are ready for that too,” Lemieux promises.
Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com.
Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
Facebook Page: JakeBScene
