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Oscar De La Hoya warns David Lemieux ahead of Spike O’Sullivan scrap


It’s a case of win or bust for David Lemieux [39(33)-4(2)] in Las Vegas this Saturday night warns Golden Boy boss and boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya.

The former IBF middleweight champion fights stablemate Spike O’Sullivan [28(20)-2(1)] at the T-Mobile Arena in a fight which fans are adamant has Fight of the Year stamped all over it.

Pitting together two heavy-punching, come-forward opponents, many feel it is a guaranteed barn-burner but it is more than an entertaining sideshow on the Gennady Golovkin v Canelo Alvarez undercard, especially for Lemieux.

Having suffered a fourth career defeat to former O’Sullivan foe Billy Joe Saunders in very disappointing fashion last December, there is pressure on the Canadian to perform.

To prove he remains an elite middleweight, Montreal’s Lemieux will have to impress against the Cork man, whose change in lifestyle has seen him make massive improvements post 30.

Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya, who also works with Jason Quigley and Aaron McKenna, has ramped the pressure up further stressing the fight is ‘make or break’ for the 29-year-old.

“Lemieux-O’Sullivan is a great fight, a lot of action, but it’s a very important fight for David Lemieux,” De La Hoya told Yahoo Sports.

“It’s kind of make-or-break for him. He needs this one.”

The fighter, who was dethroned as IBF 160lbs king by GGG in 2015, a belt he has subsequently been forced to vacat, has welcomed the call for a good performance and claims he is going to deliver.

“They expect a lot from me and it’s all good,” Lemieux said. “I know what I’m worth and I know what I’ll bring to the table on September 15th.”

“It’s going to be a beautiful victory. I’m in great shape. I’m coming down for business. I’m coming down for big names. The first big name is going to be Gary O’Sullivan, and then we’re going to head up to some who are the real deal.”

Suggestions are rife the winner of the HBO pay-per-view broadcast bout will be next in line for the winner of the main event.

However, De La Hoya has also warned that victory on Saturday won’t be enough and a good performance as well as the W will be needed to secure a mega money shot at Canelo or Golovkin.

When questioned on the possibility, De La Hoya told FightHub that “nothing’s a guarantee.”

“Obviously it depends on them. It depends on how great the fight is.”

“If O’Sullivan looks great, or vice versa, and they can make an argument, then you have to take a look at that.”

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