by Richard Cloutier
"I'll come back stronger next time! - David Lemieux
On April 8 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, middleweight David Lemieux (25-1-0) suffered his first defeat when his corner called for the abandonment of his fight, at 2:36 of the 7th round, when he was completely overwhelmed by his rival - Mexico's Marco Antonio Rubio (50-5-1).
As expected, the two boxers fought a real war throughout the fight. But it was the experience of Rubio that broke the spirit of Lemieux, and left him gaining confidence and losing their energy.
"This tactic was better than mine," said Lemieux briefly.
For his part, trainer Russ Anber explained why he decided to end the fight.
"I made this decision because David is 22 years old and has a big career ahead of him. We were in combat and the risks were too great for his future. "
Promoter Yvon Michel downplayed the impact of this first defeat. "
"It slows down his momentum a littel, but we do not see a major setback in his career. He will most likely remain ranked in the top five."
Before the stoppage, Lemieux led the fight largely by a score of 59-55 on the cards of the three judges.
For his part, Marco Antonio Rubio said he never felt discouraged despite the charges of his opponent.
"I knew it would be a tough fight. I was well prepared and I worked to have the ability to withstand [his punhces] and recover. I was ready for twelve rounds and things were going according to my prediction. David is an excellent boxer and I am sure that he will be very successful. For my part, I am ready to face Zbik, Chavez and Martinez. I have the experience and the skills to do so. My goal is to be the world champion and I am ready to face any opponent who will face me. "
