Golden Boy Promotions signs puncher David Lemieux

Montreal fan favorite David Lemieux, an exciting middleweight with good power, has signed an exclusive promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions.  He will still be managed by Eye of the Tiger Management.

"David Lemieux is the ideal Golden Boy fighter -- a power puncher who is exciting for fans to watch and willing to take on anyone in the division," said Golden Boy Promotions Founder and President Oscar De La Hoya. "As the calendar turns to 2015 and Golden Boy further focuses on delivering the fights that fans want to see, David Lemieux will fit right in with our stable of new fighters."

Lemieux recently fought in December against tough veteran Gabriel Rosado, retaining his NABF middleweight title by impressively knocking down Rosado in the third round, and later winning by TKO in the tenth when the fight was stopped due to Rosado's swollen eye.

Lemieux's previous bout against Fernando Guerrero for the then-vacant NABF middleweight title resulted in a dominating win for Lemieux, as he floored Guerrero in the first, second, and third rounds, before getting a TKO win in the fourth.

"I am very pleased and excited with my association with Golden Boy Promotions," said David Lemieux. "I am ready to face the best and this is the mission that I give to Camille Estephan at Eye of the Tiger Management and Oscar De La Hoya and Eric Gomez at Golden Boy Promotions."

Currently ranked second by the WBC, fifth by the IBF and third by the WBO, Lemieux is coming off of his eighth consecutive win and seventh consecutive knockout.

"David has shown us that he is ready for the elite of the division and I believe that with Golden Boy we will be placed in opportunities against these fighters," said Camille Estephan President of Eye of The Tiger Management. "We will have very exciting news for David's fans and boxing fans around the world."

Golden Boy Promotions held a recent roundtable discussion at the MGM in Las Vegas during fight week of the Stiverne-Wilder card to discuss Lemieux's signing.  Lemieux, Oscar De La Hoya, and Bernard Hopkins were all in attendance.

Lemieux's next bout will be broadcast on HBO and he expressed his interest in fighting the best in the middleweight division. Below are some excerpts from the discussion:

David Lemieux, Middleweight Contender

"I fear no man, I want to go after the top of the food chain. Oscar and Bernard came up fighting the best and I am of the same mind."

"Canelo is a younger, hungrier fighter. He is explosive. He is a tough fighter and it would be a good match up."

"The reason I started so young was because I was a trouble maker. I was fighting in the streets. My neighbor was a boxer and he told me to come fight real fighters. I got my ass kicked a few times but I fell in love with it."

"We want to make a good run at 160 and then think about moving up in weight."

"I have always liked power punchers and I respect others' styles and other champions, but I never mimic them."

Oscar De La Hoya, Founder and President of Golden Boy Promotions

"We are exploring every option. We can go to Montreal, we can go back to New York City, we can come to Las Vegas; that's the beauty of David. He can fight anywhere and people will come out to watch him."

"He's still growing. We haven't seen his full potential which is very exciting. He has explosiveness and power."

"We will be working hand and hand with Eye of the Tiger Management. We are partners and we want the best fights, the best deals. We will be working together in the best interest for David."

"A future fight with Canelo is possible. Canelo wants to fight the best. Lemieux wants to fight the best. For now we want to focus on 160-pounds weight class and on Cotto, Andy Lee, and Golovkin."

Bernard Hopkins, Future Hall of Famer and Golden Boy Promotions Partner

"We got this guy [Lemieux], he is tough. I know Gabriel Rosado and he handled him easily. I know what I am looking at. I have an eye for talent and he has it."

"We are going to continue and show you that we will put on the best fights and give the fans quality. I'm in it to make the best fights. The ratings speak for themselves. The fans speak for themselves. Judge us by the quality of the matches you see and don't get caught up in the 'feelings' of it."

"I want to put a call out to everyone, that is how Oscar was brought up, that is how I was brought up, fighting the best."

"Three things about David: one, he signed with Golden Boy Promotions; two, he has talent in many ways, not only is he a fan favorite he is a good defensive fighter; three, he has good looks."

"I am seeing now the molding of another legacy, his legacy. But at the end of the day he has an opportunity in the middleweight division, I am glad to be here with a middleweight who I feel already has a lot of respect."

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services