David Lemieux (43-4-0, 36 KOs) will have the chance to get his hands on the interim WBC title at 168 pounds. Eye of the Tiger Management has confirmed that it will face two-time world champion David Benavidez (25-0-0, 22 KOs).
The fight will be presented at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona on May 21.
Lemieux is 3-0 since jumping to 168 pounds, but this will be his first real test in this division. The 33-year-old Lemieux hopes his firepower will allow him to annoy Benavidez.
He has twice held a 168-pound title and has never suffered defeat once in the ring. He lost his belts after testing positive for doping and missing the weight at a weigh-in.
“Benavidez is a rising star in boxing so that’s definitely a big challenge for us. He is very talented and he is an excellent boxer. On our side, it was no longer a question of making small fights. So this is exactly the kind of opportunity we were looking for, and now we have it. We have every intention not to miss the train,” said David Lemieux’s trainer and director of development at EOTTM, Marc Ramsay.
Lemieux is currently ranked No. 2 in the WBC, while Benavidez is the current No. 1.
A win over Benavidez would definitely bring Lemieux closer to a fight against Saul Canelo Alvarez (57-1-2, 39 KOs).
