By Zachary Alapi

As David Lemieux gets set to headline tonight at Montreal’s Bell Centre against Argentine Cristian Fabian Rios, it’s difficult not to project into the future.

Lemieux is obviously expected to dispatch Rios with relative ease, and a victory should lead to major fights in 2017 – perhaps even against Golden Boy Promotions stablemate Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.



Eye of the Tiger Management’s Camille Estephan told the Journal de Montréal’s Réjean Tremblay that the prospect of challenging WBO champion Billy Joe Saunders was initially appealing because claiming another world title belt would have given Lemieux some leverage in negotiations with Canelo and his team.





But with Saunders’ title defense against Artur Akavov having been moved to November 26 and mandatory obligations looming, an opportunity for Lemieux appears remote. Estephan, though, seems undaunted.



“Since Saunders is unavailable, we will find a quality opponent for David in December,” Estephan told the Journal de Montréal.

Referring to Bernard Hopkins’ farewell event slated for December 10 in Los Angeles, Estephan views Lemieux being featured on the undercard as a distinct possibility. What Estephan said he is truly eyeing, though, is Canelo Alvarez in May of 2017.



Estephan claimed he’s confident the Canelo fight can be made, emphasizing that Lemieux has a solid fan base in the United States and that networks love him. In fact, Lemieux is still owed a fight by HBO.