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David Lemieux: Canadian Knockout Artist Targets Sergio Martinez

By Kevin Nelson

“Anyone who faces Lemieux is punished.” – Yvon Michel

If believing what you hear meant the truth, then the highly touted David Lemieux, 25-0 24 KO’s, is well on his way to becoming one of the youngest champions in Canadian boxing history.

Only 21 years old is David Lemieux and if you believe local Promoter, Yvon Michel, the future is now. He currently holds the WBC International Middleweight Championship and is ranked in the third position in that organization behind Paul Williams and Julio Cesar Chavez, JR.

Ever since David Lemieux entered Ring 83 Boxing Gym at the age of 9, he has been groomed for success by his trainer Russ Anber. But what is most surprising about him is that he had an opportunity to represent Canada in the Olympics but spurned that chance by opting to turn pro instead at age 18.

The risk of turning pro when you’re not quite ready is what Russ Anber considered when his charge decided to do so.

So the plan was to build his record up like Julio Cesar Chavez, JR., 41-0-1, 30 KO’s, by taking fights with fighters that will pose little threat to give his young fighter confidence and gradually take on tougher fighters and then finally a contender.

Well the plan has so far worked out and, to some degree, has worked out better than expected.

As for nine of his first round knockouts suggest, if you decide to get up and use the washroom then chances are you may have missed a David Lemieux fight. He’s only been beyond round five once.

What has many locals excited about him is that you get the feeling we still have not seen his prime yet. That is a scary thought in trying to understand the potential he has not just within the middleweight division but the global appeal of a fighter that is hard hitting.

After all who doesn’t like a fighter that has tremendous power?

What separates him from other local favorites such as IBF Super Middleweight Champion, Lucian Bute, is the fact that he is born and bred in Canada. He also speaks the French language and he also speaks English which only adds to the global appeal.

What also has Russ Anber excited about his fighter is the fact that his fighter lives to train and does not enjoy the Montreal nightlife like many of us do.

The questions that need to be answered in my mind are related to the quality of opposition.

With only one fight going the distance (UD-10 Jason Naugler) and a knockout of a blown up lightweight Hector Camacho, JR., the tests have been obviously slight. With his most recent win over Purnell Gates, (TKO- Round 2) bringing in an 18-1 record and that looked like he was there to pick up a paycheck, has David Lemieux really been tested and will Marco Antonio Rubio be the fighter to do that?

The obvious answer is no.

With Rubio’s chin being questionable (a knockout victim in three of his five defeats on his record) and the level of opposition for Lemieux being questionable at best, what will happen if he defeats Rubio and becomes the number one contender to current Middleweight Champion and pound for pound top fighter, Sergio Martinez?

The answer fans will not want to hear is: If Martinez gets in the ring with Lemieux, he will completely outclass him.

The Questions

What will happen to Lemieux then?

Will the loss affect his confidence?

What happens when he faces a fighter that does not fold when he hits them?

What happens when he gets hurt in a fight?

The answers to all these questions need to be answered before he steps into a ring with the likes of a Sergio Martinez.

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