Stepping into the ring after a bloody fourth round knock out over Glen Tapia this past May in Las Vegas under the Canelo-Khan Card, David Lemieux has been gearing up for his highly anticipated return to the ring to take on Argentina’s Christian Fabian Rios at Montreal’s Bell Center this Saturday, October 22 in “Blood, Guts and Glory.”
The hard-hitter gave an exclusive look into his life in the ring, his humble beginnings, and a survey of what is to come for the future.
What got you started into boxing?
“I fostered a love for boxing at such a young age. One day my neighbor, who was a fighter himself, was smoking a cigar on the balcony across from mine. We were both nine years old and he invited me to the gym because he knew that I loved to fight. Looking back, he saved me from a lot of run-ins with the police and kept me out of trouble. Ever since then, I have been unable to leave the sport. ”
What do you love the most about boxing?
“I love the respect and the feedback when you work hard in the sport. I love how there is no way to cheat. In the sport, everything you do in the ring has to be done perfectly, or else everyone can start to see the mistakes. It’s just you in the ring – no one else.”
What is it like working with Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions?
“Working with Oscar and Golden Boy Promotions is a great motivation in my career and where I want to go. Oscar was the hero boxer growing up. I was obsessed with him growing up. Working alongside Golden Boy, and seeing all the great things they are doing in the boxing business, and me being a part of it is a big motivation, and I am proud to have them in my corner.”
How does it feel like to be fighting in front of large crowds?
“Excitement. A fighter wants to be known, a fighter wants to be seen. The bigger the crowd, the higher the energy, and that hypes me up. The crowds are the fuel in the ring, and I feed of their energy.”
How are you training for this fight?
“I have been training hard for this fight and trying to make sure to be in the ring with different sparring partners to make sure we are well prepared against Rios. We are doing everything that we can to ensure we don’t leave any detail behind.”
“Fans can expect explosions on October 22, especially if Rios brings it all. From my behalf, I promise a great show– our card has a lot of great fighters on it.”
After scoring an impressive knock out of Glenn Tapia this past May, what are you planning to accomplish in the ring this time around as you face Rios?
“My fight against Glenn Tapia was an important step after the Golovkin fight to get back on track. Now, Rios is another step to get back on the road to becoming a world champion – to win and to be impressive.
“I’ve been preparing very well, and we are taking him very seriously. We are expecting the best Rios that we can get. We are not taking him lightly. We are doing everything we need to do to make sure there are no surprises.”
Canadian Thanksgiving day has just been celebrated in your home country. Are there any things you are extra thankful for?
“Absolutely, I am thankful to God for everything. I am thankful for what I have to leave my mark in this world — the kids, the family and the friends that surround me so that I can achieve what I have to achieve and what I want to accomplish. I have all that I need to make it in this world, and I am so thankful for that.”
What do you do to get in your zone before a fight?
“I’m already in my zone when its fight time. I have a weird way of dealing with things. Sometimes it’s not even relevant to the fight that is before. It could be as simple as a distant memory or certain spaces and environments where I just can pull myself together. By the time I get in the ring I am where I need to be mentally.”
Looking back, what are some highlights to your career?
“Winning big – for sure the Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam fight which was personally one of my best fights. I also loved fighting against Gabriel Rosado, I thought he was a great fighter and it was the first time I fought on US soil on HBO. Also, winning against Guerrero was a huge win for me. I would also consider jumping into the ring with Golovkin as a highlight because it was a different type of fight. Although I didn’t get the result that I wanted, I got a ton of experience and learned what I had to do to get what I wanted. Because of that fight, we are in the process of taking what we learned and applying it to my career. I’m heading back to the top.
How would you describe your personality in the ring? How does that compare to your non-boxing personality?
“In the ring, I become a robot. I am no longer human. I have to destroy what is in front of me. There are no hard feelings if I hurt my opponent. If I have trained to do it on a punching bag, I will do it to the human in front of me in the ring. My opponent is thinking the same thing – he has trained to fight me, hurt me, and try to defeat me, and that’s why I am on my toes from start to finish. Business is business.”
