By Luke Furman
Eye of the Tiger Management, who handle former IBF middleweight champion David Lemieux, advised TVA Sports that the Canadian puncher will return to the ring against another feared hitter, Curtis Stevens, on October 22 in Montreal. HBO will reportedly carry the fight.
The two fighters were both showcased during the month of May, as part of the HBO Pay-Per-View undercard to Canelo Alvarez vs. Amir Khan from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Many felt the fights were put together to create a future opponent for Canelo or to match the two sluggers in the fall.
Stevens (28-5, 21 KO), 31 years, blew away previously undefeated Patrick Teixeira in two rounds, while Lemieux (35-3, 32 KOs) dominated and stopped Glen Tapia in four rounds.
The two boxers have two main opponents in common. They both faced middleweight king Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin in recent years, and both were stopped at New York's Madison Square Garden.
Stevens was stopped by Golovkin in 2013 in eight rounds, while Lemieux met the same fate last October and also lasted eight rounds.
They also both faced Hassan N'dam. Stevens was dropped and lost a decision to N'dam in October 2014, while Lemieux dropped the French fighter four times for a decision win in June 2015.
Lemieux is prepared for Stevens and confident of gaining victory inside the distance.
"I know his style, he is a good hitter. I'm not going to have my chin in the air - but Curtis Stevens, like anyone else, it will not last," briefly commented Lemieux when speaking to TVA Sports.
Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org.
