With Middleweight monster-punchers Gennady Golovkin and David Lemieux looking to land a household name in their next fights, why not fight each other? It sounds like a fight fan’s dream, and according to promoters Oscar De La Hoya and Camille Estephan, a potential match-up is officially being discussed.
It’s not worth holding your breath over, but it sounds like a positive start. With Mayweather allegedly opting to fight Andre Berto in his farewell September outing, Golovkin needs a big name. He’s already disposed of a skilled boxer in Willie Monroe Jr., and proving he can dispose of a notorious banger would definitely silence many of his critics.
Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) are making serious headway in the sport, and Golden Boy Promotions, who promote Lemieux, may be keen to stage a huge clash such as this. HBO wouldn’t need much encouragement, no doubt.
“We’re exploring options for David Lemieux and discussing things with Tom Loeffler [Golovkin’s promoter from K2 Promotions],” De La Hoya told ESPN.com. “We’ll see if we can make it. I’ll sit down with [Golden Boy vice president] Eric Gomez and see if it’s even possible. But my mind is always open to giving fans the best fights and this is one of the best fights.”
Lemieux’s co-promoter Camille Estephan (of Eye of the Tiger) is confident Golovkin would come unstuck against his fighter. But with Lemieux just 26 years of age, Estephan also stated he feels little pressure to force the fight.
“We can literally say that David is in the hurt business,” said Estephan. “Believe me, we think David will hurt Golovkin. Golovkin is certainly a great fighter, but without wanting to divulge our strategy we feel very good about our chances. People want to see Golovkin tested and we are willing if it makes business sense. We are talking and the door is open. Having said that, we are well aware that David is only 26 and is getting better day by day where Golovkin is now 33. So time is on our side. We’re not in a rush.”
Is this a salivating contest for boxing fans? Would Golovkin vs Lemieux equal fireworks?
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If you’ve missed the exploits of Dereck Chisora, one of Britain’s most controversial Heavyweight fighters, you can catch him back in action this Friday. The former British and Commonwealth Champion will feature on the Frank Buglioni vs Fernando Castaneda card hosted at the SSE Arena, Wembley.
Love him or loathe him, Chisora insists you won’t be forgetting his name anytime soon. Following eight-months outside the ring, the Londoner says he has absolutely no plans of hanging his gloves up.
“Retire?! How old do you think I am?” Chisora told BoxingNewsOnline. “I’m just 31, just starting out. I never announced my retirement. I’ve a long, long time left.”
Since losing to Tyson Fury again last November, Chisora said British boxing needs him back on the scene, and that his plans to reach great heights in the fight game haven’t changed.
“My goals now are exactly the same as they were when I first started out as a pro; to be in great fights against other great fighters,” Chisora went on. “I’m an entertainer, I deliver the fans what they want. I create a jolly!”
‘Del Boy’ also has a new trainer in tow, Gary Innes, who has been rebuilding the Finchley-born fighter, working on the mental aspects of the game as much as the physical.
“Trust me, he still really wants to fight,” assured Innes. “Some can fight but don’t want to. Others can’t fight but really want to. Dereck has both the ability and the desire. His mindset is good. He’s really enjoying his boxing at the moment.”
Chisora will be facing Beqa Lobjanidze in a non-title bout on Friday, televised on Boxnation. Will you be watching?
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