David Lemieux vs David Zegarra Preview June 4th, 2021
Former world middleweight titleholder David Lemieux of Canada is back in action this Friday, June 4th when he takes on David Zegarra of Peru in a scheduled 10-round super middleweight tilt bout down in Mexico. The contest can be seen live on the FITE network. Lemieux last fought in October when he stopped Francy Ntetu in the fifth round. Zegarra last saw action in November, 2019 when he was stopped after five rounds by Stefan Haertel for the vacant WBO Inter-Continental Super Middleweight Crown.
Lemieux vs Zegarra Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- David Zegarra +1400
- David Lemieux -4000
My Pick
In his last major bout in 2017, the 32-year-old Lemieux was thoroughly outboxed and somewhat embarrassed over 12 rounds by former WBO Champ Billy Joe Saunders. He then came back with a 12-round unanimous decision win over little known Karim Achour in May, 2018 to rebuild his confidence and then destroyed Spike O’Sullivan in 164 seconds four months later. Since then he’s beaten Max Bursak by 10-round split decision in a slugfest in December, 2019 which saw Lemieux hit the canvas in the fist and fifth rounds while Bursak was down in round six.
When you add in last year’s contest Ntetu you’re all up to date on Lemieux and he hasn’t changed his style as Lemieux doesn’t want to box anybody, he just wants to knock them out. And when you consider he has a suspect chin it makes him a very fan-friendly fighter. Lemieux had a good amateur career and has also won the Quebec Boxing Council Super Welterweight Title and Canadian Boxing Federation Super Middleweight title as a pro as well as the NABF, WBO NABO, WBC Continental Americas, and WBO Inter-Continental Middleweight Titles.
However, Lemieux is best known for once being the IBF Middleweight king. He enters the bout with a record of 42-4 with 35 big Kos. He’s a hard-hitting brawler with a lot of power as his current knockout ratio stands at 76.1 per cent. While he usually blasts most of his opponents out, he’s also been stopped himself a couple of times as Marco Antonio Rubio halted him in the seventh round in 2011 and Gennady Golovkin stopped him in the eighth round in 2015. His other loss also came in 2011 when Joachim Alcine beat him by a 12-round majority decision. He turned pro in 2007 and has fought 195 rounds since then.
Lemieux has beaten some journeymen along the way and lost when stepping up in class against Rubio, Alcine, Golovkin and Saunders. However he stopped Curtis Stevens by a sensational third-round knockout in 2017, stopped Gabriel Rosado in 10 rounds in 2014, beat Hassan N’Dam by unanimous decision for the vacant IBF crown in 2015, stopped Glen Tapia in four in 2016 and beat Marcos Reyes by 10-round unanimous decision in May, 2016.
Lemieux is just over 5-feet-9-inches tall with a 70-inch reach. He isn’t a naturally-gifted boxer, but he works hard for everything he has, possesses heart and power and is quite entertaining. To put it bluntly, boxing is basically Lemieux’s weak point and slugging is his strong point. That’s why he often has trouble when meeting opponents with good boxing skills.
Zegarra is a 36-year-old who hails from Lima, Peru and owns a record of 34-4 with 21 Kos. He made his pro debut in 2005 and has boxed 238 rounds since. He’s got decent power with a current knockout ratio of 55.3 per cent and since turning pro has captured the WBA Fedebol Middleweight Title, which he defended several times, as well as the WBA Fedelatin Super Welterweight Title and the vacant South American Super Welterweight Belt.
All four of Zegarra’s losses have come since 2016 as he has been beaten at the hands of Lolenga Mock by 10-round unanimous decision, Shefat Ifusu by fourth-round stoppage, Erik Bazinyan by fourth-round stoppage and by Haertel after five rounds in his last outing. Zegarra hasn’t faced any recognizable opponents or contenders and the long layoff won’t do him any favours. Also, his height and reach are unlisted. Still, he’s a solid pro with a good record and decent power and that’s all that’s needed some nights.
Prediction…
Lemieux has basically been flying under the radar since losing to Saunders but he’s been active enough and is still just 32 years of age. You know exactly what to expect in one of his fights which is basically an all-out attack in order to produce a knockout. Most of the time it’s worked for him even though he’s been dropped and stopped before. Lemieux doesn’t have the greatest boxing skills so this could be a tough fight for him if he can’t stop Zegarra but I think he’s still got enough left in the tank to come up with a win even if it goes the distance.
Lemieux’s power should be the difference.
Play: Lemieux -4000 @ BetOnline.ag
Check out my recent boxing betting picks to see my current form.
David Lemieux betting • David Zegarra betting