BoxRec

"David Lemieux in talks for Spike O’Sullivan clash"

David Lemieux‘s manager has claimed that he is in negotiations with Spike O’Sullivan‘s team with a view to the two middleweights fighting this September.

With O’Sullivan [28(20)-2(1)] set to provide the chief support to the middleweight title rematch between Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez on September 15th in Las Vegas, former IBF champ Lemieux [39(33)-4(2)] yesterday put his name forward to be the man occupying the opposite corner at the T-Mobile Arena.

The pair are promotional stablemates under Golden Boy, and Lemieux’s manager Camille Estephan revealed to Quebec news outlet TVA that they are in talks for the bout.

O’Sullivan, who has previously called out the Canadian, featured on Lemieux’s undercard in Montreal back in December, scoring a break-out upset win over Antoine Douglas.

In the main event, Lemieux was widely outpointed in a challenge for Billy Joe Saunders’ WBO title and, after badly missing weight for his comeback win over Karim Achour in May, it looked like a move to super middle was imminent.

This, however, is not the case, with Estephan keen to secure the O’Sullivan fight – which is being viewed as a de-facto final eliminator for the WBC and WBA titles that will be defended by Golovkin in the main event.

29-year-old Lemieux was stopped by the Kazakh in a unification back in 2015 but remains a major player in the division courtesy of a recognisable name, big backing, and a destructive fighting style that would no doubt mesh fantastically with O’Sullivan’s

Spike’s manager and trainer Paschal Collins had previously stated recently that a “big name” has been secured for the Mahon 33-year-old.

This may not be the case, something may have changed, Team Spike may be reconsidering their options, or the “big name” may have been Lemieux all along.

Whatever is the case, more is sure to emerge soon.

Thoughts?

Nice one! Really like this fight. Much fun

Yes definitely a fun fight - I hope Lemieux gets battered.

I dunno.

It seems like a risk that makes no sense for O'Sullivan.

All the talk has indicated for months that Spike would take on Canelo after the Golovkin rematch. Maybe as early as December.

At best, Lemieux-O'Sullivan is 50/50.

Why would Spike want to endanger a rich Canelo payday by taking a "tuneup" vs dangerous punching Lemeiux?

Again, it makes no sense.

lazboy wrote: ↑11 Jul 2018, 08:45 Yes definitely a fun fight - I hope Lemieux gets battered.

Same! Hope Spike punches his lamps in

SenorPipino wrote: ↑11 Jul 2018, 08:46 I dunno.

It seems like a risk that makes no sense for O'Sullivan.

All the talk has indicated for months that Spike would take on Canelo after the Golovkin rematch. Maybe as early as December.

At best, Lemieux-O'Sullivan is 50/50.

Why would Spike want to endanger a rich Canelo payday by taking a "tuneup" vs dangerous punching Lemeiux?

Again, it makes no sense.

Spikes a fighting man. This type of fight will get his plums pumping

I am wondering if that will be at 160 or a catch weight, as Lemieux has been struggling to make weight. At relatively comfortable weight, he will take Spike out, but if he is exhausted, Spike can last 12 and take a decision.

good fight. Bad thing is that no way these 2 are A class fighters and winner of this will be pushed against GGG or Canelo. Boxing stinks sometimes

Cent0089 wrote: ↑11 Jul 2018, 12:20 good fight. Bad thing is that no way these 2 are A class fighters and winner of this will be pushed against GGG or Canelo. Boxing stinks sometimes

If nothing else it was good to see FIFA adopt the Elo rating system borrowed from chess. Perhaps boxing needs to do the same or similar. The pedestrian nature of big fight arrangement is often a serious drag. None bigger than the GGG - Alvarez traffic jam.

Having said all that any fight between Spike and Lemieux would be explosive. Spike could wait, along with Charlo, along with Saunders but like Jacobs, he's probably getting frustrated with the lack of action.

Talking of lack of action, it's back to the football.

Spike warrants a shot. He won't win but plenty less deserving fighters have had shots.

Lemieux had his opportunities. He should derail a top contender before he receives another title shot.

But as Ali used to say Lemieux "has the connections and the complexion."

SenorPipino wrote: ↑11 Jul 2018, 14:16 Spike warrants a shot. He won't win but plenty less deserving fighters have had shots.

Lemieux had his opportunities. He should derail a top contender before he receives another title shot.

But as Ali used to say Lemieux "has the connections and the complexion."

Then by that logic it’s the perfect fight for these Golden boy fighters. Whomever wins gets a boost and gets the shot and the money stays in house (golden boy).

lemieux earned his opportunities more , basically spike came from behind to beat antoine douglas and thats it. lem has a much deeper resume even with the losses. he earned ggg by beating ndam and having a belt, then he went on a run of wins after that included the stevens ktfo to get a saunders fight, etc.....so not like he just got shots for nothing

this is really the perfect fight, seems really well matched and should be entertaining, lol at spike even being mentioned right now as a really deserving opponent for canelo, that would be crap lets see if he can beat lem first....it would at least be a way of making a stronger case that a shot was earnef

Spike would have a damn good chance to beat Lemieux.

O'Sullivan may be on the rise from his days when he was was fodder for Eubanks and BJS.

Lemieux ain't getting better. He's had opportunities to show who he is. He's peaked.

But with the Canelo carrot dangling for Spike, I'd be surprised if the fight happens.

lets see it then if spike should like his chances, it would easily be a career best win for spike and would prob be very fun while it lasted. if spike wins then it builds a bigger fight and you can talk more about him having earned a battering from an elite fighter, which wouldnt be nearly as competitively matched

i dont mind a fighter getting opportunities if they work for them, you play race card with lem but he put together win streaks with wins vs several recognizable names before losing to ggg and bjs (to use your words 'plenty less deserving fighters have had shots') . he may not have looked great but he wasnt just handed shots for nothing. and hes 1-2 in title fights, not like hes 0-5

really hoping for spike vs lem

jamamb wrote: ↑11 Jul 2018, 19:37 lemieux earned his opportunities more , basically spike came from behind to beat antoine douglas and thats it. lem has a much deeper resume even with the losses. he earned ggg by beating ndam and having a belt, then he went on a run of wins after that included the stevens ktfo to get a saunders fight, etc.....so not like he just got shots for nothing

this is really the perfect fight, seems really well matched and should be entertaining, lol at spike even being mentioned right now as a really deserving opponent for canelo, that would be crap lets see if he can beat lem first....it would at least be a way of making a stronger case that a shot was earnef

Who’s said he’s really deserving of a shot against Canelo? But this is boxing and it makes sense for that fight to take place given everyones golden boy. Personally I’d give Canelo a pass for choosing spike or Lemieux as he’s had two hard fights in a row.

im pretty sure senior pipino said he deserves a shot?

id be disappointed if instead of a really well matched and sure to be entertaining spike vs lemieux it just instead went straight to one of them vs canelo in what would be a much less well matched fight. in boxing theres already too much matches between guys of different levels and not enough of guys on the same or close in level fighting. plus then the winner at least does a bit more to merit a shot imo.

as for canelo deserving a soft fight, maybe, but why the hell as a fan would i want him in some 1 sided rout instead of a really good fight like spike vs lem

jamamb wrote: ↑11 Jul 2018, 20:18 im pretty sure senior pipino said he deserves a shot?

id be disappointed if instead of a really well matched and sure to be entertaining spike vs lemieux it just instead went straight to one of them vs canelo in what would be a much less well matched fight. in boxing theres already too much matches between guys of different levels and not enough of guys on the same or close in level fighting. plus then the winner at least does a bit more to merit a shot imo.

as for canelo deserving a soft fight, maybe, but why the hell as a fan would i want him in some 1 sided rout instead of a really good fight like spike vs lem

Agree with all that...and yes this fight first before the possibility of a Canelo clash. And yes it would be one sided but I don’t expect more of Canelo after the golovkin fight...for the short term and from his team.

yes, give us spike-lem first, then the winner can be an easy opponent for canelo.

Blimmin' awesome if it happens
These guys line up fan-tastic as far as styles go.

I am sure lemieux said he couldn't make middle and was moving to super mid making this fight a non starter.

rio wrote: ↑12 Jul 2018, 12:22 I am sure lemieux said he couldn't make middle and was moving to super mid making this fight a non starter.

He never said that He had difficulties making the weight because of his lack of discipline between the fights, he can and will make 160lbs again.