The North American continent is rich in outstanding boxers who were able to get not only various world titles and titles, but also the recognition of a rather picky public. One of those fighters who always perform brightly and effectively is David Lemieux, a promising professional boxer from Canada who for some time owned a prestigious championship belt.
Biographical excursion
The athlete was born in Montreal on December 20, 1988. His dad is Quebec by nationality, and his mother is an Armenian, who came to live permanently in Canada from Lebanon. However, the upbringing of the guy was not done by his own father, but by his stepfather, bearing the surname Melikyan. As David Lemieux himself says, he is fluent in the Armenian language and was brought up in the traditions of this people. Also, in addition to the mother’s mother tongue, the fighter speaks fluent English, French, and Spanish.
Sports career
David Lemieux came to boxing at the age of ten. Three times he managed to become the champion of Canada among amateurs. Already at the age of 17, the young man was completely ready to become a professional, but the current Canadian legislation did not allow him to do this, and he was waiting for his coming of age.
In April 2007, David Lemieux first entered the ring as a professional. His first opponent was Jose Candelario Torres. Our hero was able to defeat him in the second round by technical knockout. This was followed by a series of victorious fights for Lemieux, which he completed all ahead of schedule. As a result, this success led to the fact that the athlete received the right to fight for the title of Intercontinental WBC champion. Alvin Ayala opposed him in this battle, but David forced him to capitulate.
First loss
In April 2011, Lemieux entered the ring to box with Mexican representative Marco Antonio Rubio. The match was qualifying, because its winner got the right to meet with the world champion.
Many expected that, like the previous fights of David Lemieux, this confrontation would not last all the allotted rounds. In fact, it happened, but the denouement was not in favor of the Canadian.
From the first moments, David actively went forward, bombarding with blows of the opponent. But in the sixth three-minute period the Mexican seized the initiative, and already in the seventh round he completely knocked the Canadian down. Rubio managed to develop his success, which led to the surrender of the opponent. This defeat was the first in his career for David.
Lemieux's next fight was also unsuccessful for him. This time, Joashen Alsin, an ex-world champion, became his offender. The fight turned out to be quite competitive and lasted all the twelve rounds provided for by the organization's rules. The result of the battle was a separate decision in favor of Joashen, who managed to impose his tactics and manner of battle on Lemieux.
Back on top
In the fall of 2012, David Lemieux, boxing for which was the thing of his life, knocked out Alvaro Gaona, and in December of that year he prematurely defeated Albert Hayrapetyan, sending him twice to knockdown during the fight.
In June 2015, David finally got to the championship match. In the fight for the vacant IBF belt, he fought with the Frenchman Hassan N'Jicam. The fight took place in Montreal, native to Lemieux, and in many ways it was the native walls that helped the assertive Canadian win such a coveted world title.
In October 2015, David held a long-awaited duel for many boxing fans and specialists with the most dangerous Kazakhstani Gennady Golovkin, in which the unification of the WBA, IBO, IBF and WBC interim belts was to be held. Unfortunately, the Canadian lost by knockout in the eighth round and therefore not only could not increase the number of titles, but also lost his belt.