By Luke Furman
Yvon Michel of GYM, who promoted IBF middleweight champion David Lemieux for practically his entire career, says the fighter is being rushed and is "not ready" to face someone like WBA/IBO middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin.
Golovkin-Lemieux will happen on October 17th at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Michel promoted Lemieux up until the end of 2014. The boxer then announced he was signing a contract with Golden Boy Promotions. Michel claimed he still had Lemieux under contract and filed a lawsuit.
The Vice President of Golden Boy Promotions, Eric Gomez, says Michel has no room to speak because he was told by Golovkin's promoter, Tom Loeffler of K2, that Michel had reached a separate deal with him for a Lemieux fight.
"When I was approached by the promoter of Golovkin, Tom Loeffler, he said he already had an agreement with Yvon for a fight," Gomez was quoted by RDS. "Yvon gives the impression of the guy who will say 'I told you so' if David does not prevail against Golovkin. But hey, he can always say whatever he wants."
Michel Also spoke with RDS and denied the claims being made by Gomez.
"This is completely false," Michel said. "There has never been any negotiations, let alone an agreement for a fight between Golovkin and Lemieux. This has never passed the stage of discussions with friends over a meal and a glass of wine.
"I'm saying I would not be advising David to face Golovkin, as I had advised Eric Lucas not to face Roy Jones. And as I had strongly recommended to Adonis Stevenson to face Sergey Kovalev. I think I have a good perspective on these things. I give my opinion and I work for my boxers. They are always the ones who decide."
Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org
