WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders, the least-known middleweight titleholder in the sport of boxing will make his second defense of the year on Saturday in Place Bell in Laval, Canada. He’ll take on former champion and Montreal’s own David Lemieux.
While this fight isn’t on par with Gennady Golovkin vs. Canelo Alvarez, it is a legitimate middleweight world title bout and one hardcore fight fans will be watching with elevated interest.
How To Watch
The fight will be the main event of an HBO Boxing telecast that also features two undercard bouts. The broadcast begins at 9:40 pm ET.
Other Televised Fights
Prior to Saunders vs. Lemieux, HBO will broadcast an interesting middleweight clash between Antoine Douglas (22-1-1, 16 KO) and Gary O’Sullivan (26-2, 18 KO). Douglas has rebounded from his first career loss at the hands of Avtandil Khurtsidze in 2016 with three straight wins. If he beats O’Sullivan, it would be his fourth win in 2017.
O’Sullivan isn’t an easy win. The rugged veteran has power and he’s never been stopped in his professional career.
Weigh-In Info
Both fighters weighed in right on the middleweight limit of 160 pounds. You can see highlights of the weigh-in and testy face-off below:
The Odds
Saunders is the slight favorite at minus-120. Lemieux comes in at minus-110. On paper, it’s hard to determine who has the edge. Lemieux is by far the more explosive puncher, but few doubt Saunders’ superiority as a boxer.
It could be the classic example of the boxer vs. the puncher. That combination has produced excellent bouts in the past. Hopefully, this one is the next in that line.
The Title On The Line
Saunders is the WBO champion and with both fighters on weight, the title will be on the line.
Who is the A-Side?
Despite the fact that he’s the challenger, it’s clear Lemieux is the A-side in this fight. The event is taking place in his country and almost no champion would agree to travel to a challenger’s backyard to defend his title unless he had to, or it made the most sense monetarily.
Saunders isn’t one of the most respected champions in the sport and the location of this bout is a telltale sign.
Last Time Out
In September, Saunders successfully defended his title via unanimous decision over Willie Monroe. Saunders hadn’t fought for nearly 10 months prior and he hadn’t faced a formidable opponent since he’d won the title from Andy Lee in December 2015.
He shook off the rust from inactivity to remind fans that he is still an above-average technical boxer.
Lemieux had his shot at Golovkin in October 2015 and lost via eighth-round TKO. Since then, Lemieux has won four in a row including a dominant unanimous-decision victory over Marcos Reyes in May. Lemieux controlled almost every round of the fight to set up this title opportunity.
Looking Beyond Lemieux
Is Saunders overconfident? The WBO champion appears to be looking past the challenger.
?David has no chance of winning, and I?m convinced that he will not make the distance against me,” said Saunders. “I?m willing to bet part of my purse to charity if I lose and the winner will choose which charity to give it to. I?m not here for the money or anything like that. I?m here to make a statement. There?s no point in talking anymore because all that matters now is what happens on Saturday.?
Saunders is looking to challenge Canelo at some point, and it appears as if the fight with Lemieux is a minor distraction for him. He must guard against complacency in a fight with a proven puncher like Lemieux.
Growth Since GGG
Lemieux was made to look like an undersized, B-level challenger when he faced Golovkin. Since then, he’s been working on changing the narrative. He says he’s a “whole different fighter than when he fought Golovkin.” He may need to be if he’s going to overcome Saunders and ascend to the next level.
What’s On the Horizon for the Winner?
The winner has little chance of fighting Golovkin or Canelo in their next fight. Those two are likely headed toward a rematch in the summer or late spring. That said, the winner of Lemieux-Saunders is positioning themselves to be next in line once that rivarly is settled.
