David Lemieux is maybe a tad too old to be labeled a “young gun,” but as far as veterans go, he’s so not grizzled.

The Canadian-hitter still wants to make some improvements and adjustments to his game and told us, damn right, he’s sticking around in the fruitful middleweight division. In fact, Lemieux already has an opponent in his sights.

“I’m looking forward to fighting ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan next,” said the 39-4 (33 knockouts) boxer, who lives in Montreal. “I hope he comes out of his hideout, and I’m hoping that it would be on September 15 under Canelo-Golovkin 2.”

You will recall Lemieux was faced with the best Billy Joe Saunders any of us have ever seen and wasn’t able to activate his detonative power. After that December 2017 defeat, he rebounded with a “W” over Karim Achour on May 26.

“We had to do some readjustments, now we are back on track ready to fight the real fights,” said the 29-year-old former titleholder, who is operating under the Eye of the Tiger-Camille Estephan management umbrella.

“(I’m) always learning. When you stop, time to do something else! I have many years to give to the sport, the best is yet to come. We have some unfinished business at 160, starting in September with O’Sullivan.”

“I see David coming into his prime,” Estephan opined. “A lot of naysayers look at the fight with Saunders. I can assure you coming off a knee surgery as well as a major shoulder problem; without using these issues as excuses, he was certainly very far from his best. Currently the shoulder is in excellent condition, and he fully recovered from the surgery but it did take a year.

So, 160 is where you are staying, David? It isn’t too much of a drain on your system to make that limit? “Yes, 160 is where I belong.”

Estephan too wondered if 168 would be a better option for Lemieux. “I had doubts regarding his ability to make 160,” he admitted. “But after consulting with many specialists and our team doctor, and having taken the time necessary to truly assess, I have no more concerns. I am sure he is at great advantage being at 160, that is where he belongs.”

My three cents: I think this one is a no-brainer, as far as being fan-friendly. Two lads who like to bang, for whom defense is option B, not option A. Lemieux vs. O’Sullivan – make that scrap!

“Yes, certainly, I would love Lemieux versus O’Sullivan for the reasons the fans are asking for it. An all-action fight between two spectacular fighters fit for the greatest event of the year,” Estephan said. “I hope we can make it happen!”

“Spike doesn’t back away; he comes to fight, he’s a tough cookie, so it would give the fans a real fight,” Lemieux says in summation. “It would be a war, fireworks guaranteed!”

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