RSR Boxing Weekend
By Geno McGahee
ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights
Uniprix Stadium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
The vacant WBC International Middleweight Title will be decided this Friday night in Canada, as the hometown boy, David Lemieux, 22-0, 21 KO’s, takes on battle-tested Connecticut native, Elvin Ayala, 20-4-1, 9 KO’s, in a 12 round contest.
Ayala began his career well with a record of 16-0, 7 KO’s, and was featured on many cards in Connecticut, becoming a popular local attraction. He would lose his first fight by split decision to David Banks and lost in a rematch by unanimous decision. He rebounded well with a draw with contender, Sergio Mora, before taking on Arthur Abraham, the then IBF Middleweight Champion, in 2008.
Abraham retained his title with a final round stoppage of a game Ayala. Ayala would rebound with two victories over mediocre opposition and then lose again by a 12 round decision to Lajuan Simon. His recent ring record is 4-4-1, 2 KO’s, and is the heavy underdog going into Friday’s showdown.
Not much is known about Lemieux. The majority of his career featured him unloading his power-punches on hapless opposition. At only 21 years of age, Lemieux is just at the beginning of what may be a great career, but Ayala is the toughest opposition he has faced thus far. With 21 knockouts in 22 fights, it’s fair to say that he has a big punch, but Ayala has been 12 rounds with Abraham and proved to be durable. Should Lemieux come out and stop him early, it will send a message to the division that he is a player and also to Ayala that he should probably find a new career.
Canadian super middleweight, Sebastien Demers, 31-2, 11 KO’s, will be in action against Brian Vera, 16-4, 10 KO’s, in a ten round co-attraction.
Demers is a boxer first and has had a title shot, losing by TKO in 3 to Arthur Abraham. Demers seems to be a fighter just below the upper echelon of the division. In his last fight, he outpointed the veteran and former champion, William Joppy, heading into this showdown with Vera.
Vera made a name for himself with a surprise knockout win over rising contender Andy Lee, but hasn’t been able to capitalize on it. Vera is an old school fighter, taking on anyone, anywhere, anytime. His last six opponents had a collective record of 98-2-0. He’s won two of those six fights and may just pull off an upset again against Demers this Friday night. Vera, although a loser in his last three, has no reason to hang his head in shame. He’s lost to undefeated up and coming fighters and is a live dog in this fight.