By Luke Furman

According to numerous sources in Canada, former IBF middleweight world champion David Lemieux (38-4, 33 KOs) is going to stay busy by returning to the ring on May 26th in Quebec.

The fight is going to be announced at a press conference on Thursday, by Eye of the Tiger Management.

Lemieux was initially being positioned to fight on May 5th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, as part of the HBO Pay-Per-View undercard to the Gennady Golovkin vs. Canelo Alvarez rematch. There were a number of opponents rumored for him, including Irish contender Gary 'Spike' O'Sullivan.

But the event fell apart after Canelo was temporarily suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for testing positive for banned substance clenbuterol back in February.

This will be Lemieux's first bout of 2018.

Lemieux is coming from a mixed year in 2017.

He began that year, in March, with a 'Knockout of The Year' frontrunner by crushing Curtis Stevens out cold in three rounds at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York.

He came back two months later, on Cinco De Mayo weekend, to win a ten round unanimous decision over Marcos Reyes as part of the HBO Pay-Per-View undercard to Canelo's catch-weight grudge match with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at T-Mobile.

And then in December, he was dominated over twelve rounds by WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders at Place Bell in Laval, Canada. It was Lemieux's mandatory shot and he was actually the betting favorite in most markets, with many expecting him to knock Saunders out.

After that fight, Lemieux said he was plagued by a few injuries that needed rehabilitation, which is why his first fight of the year was delayed by a few months.

His next opponent is unknown, and he may or may not get announced at the upcoming press conference.

Luke Furman covers boxing for bokser.org.