David Lemieux to make his grand return to the ring against James De la Rosa in Montreal, Canada

Live on Pay-Per-View from the Olympia Theatre

Tickets on Sale Now!

(Photo: Hogan Photos / K2 Promotions & Golden Boy Promotions)

David Lemieux

MONTREAL – After a sell-out at The Mecca of Boxing, Madison Square Garden, in New York, on October 17, 2015, Eye of the Tiger Management and Golden Boy Promotions is proud to announce, that former IBF Middleweight Champion, David Lemieux (34-3, 31 KOs) will keep his promise to return to his hometown, Montreal, Quebec, Canada for his first fight of 2016. On March 12, hometown fans, will witness, Lemieux’s grand return against San Benito, Texas’ “King” James de la Rosa (23-3, 13 KOs) in an exciting battle at Montreal’s Olympia Theatre , live on Indigo and all pay-per-view channels across Canada starting at 9:00 p.m. ET.

“I am happy to be fighting in my hometown,” said David Lemieux. “I’m very hungry to get back in the ring and I am ready to climb my way back to the top of the middleweight division. I know de la Rosa is a serious threat and I can promise all my hometown fans that I will be ready to give them all a great show on March 12.”

“A new trainer and a new strength and conditioning coach, have created a new James de la Rosa,” said James de la Rosa. “I have no problem going to his hometown to show him and everyone else, that he isn’t what he is hyped up to be. I’m going to Montreal to win.”

“The goal is to offer our devoted fans a major gala and a memorable evening,” said Camille Estephan, President of Eye of the Tiger Management. “We owe our success to our loyal supporters and when David promised to box in Montreal he created a hope, by honoring it, and now fans will witness the grand return of their champion.James De La Rosa is a serious opponent whom we cannot take lightly and I know David will be ready for him on March 12.”

“David Lemieux is one of the great champions of the middleweight division and we can’t wait to see him back in action,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Golden Boy Promotions is behind David 100 percent and fighting against James De La Rosa will be a big test for him and his first step on his journey to once again becoming a world champion.”

(Photo: Stacey Verbeek)

James de la Rosa

“James is always game for big opportunities, he has never met a fight he didn’t like,’ said Adrian Clark, President and CEO of AC Sports Management, LLC and manager to James de la Rosa. “There will be fireworks in Montreal on March 12 and after the smoke settles, James de la Rosa will stand victorious.”

Tickets for the event are on sale now starting at $59 CAN and $349 CAN for ringside and available at www.admission.com. For further information, please visit us at www.eottm.com and www.goldenboypromotions.com or Follow us on Twitter @Lemieuxboxing, @KingJamesDLR, @EOTMVD and @GoldenBoyBoxing.

David Lemieux vs. James de la Rosa, is a 12-round fight presented by Eye of the Tiger Management in association with Golden Boy Promotions. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. E.T. and the first fight begins at 7:00 p.m. E.T. The event will be broadcast in HD for $59.99 and $54.99 in SD on Indigo and all pay-per-view channels across Canada starting at 9:00 p.m. E.T. and the undercard will be televised by TVA Sports starting at 7:00 p.m. E.T.

Currently ranked as one of the top middleweight fighters by the WBC and IBF, former IBF World Middleweight Champion David Lemieux is making his grand return to the ring on March 12 after a sell-out crowd at The Mecca of Boxing, Madison Square Garden in New York, when he faced Gennady Golovkin for the Unified Middleweight World Championship on October 17.

Before his face off against Golovkin, Lemieux was coming off of his ninth consecutive victory over Hassan N’Dam and seventh consecutive knockout against Gabriel “King” Rosado last December.

The 27-year-old Lemieux was victorious in dominant fashion capturing the vacant IBF Middleweight Title against Hassan N’Dam on June 20 in his hometown of Montreal, Canada. Dropping N’Dam four times, the hard-hitting Canadian won a wide, 12-round unanimous decision.

Lemieux made his HBO and United States debut in headline fashion with a fantastic performance stopping top contender Gabriel Rosado in the tenth round on December 6 in Brooklyn, New York.

“King” James De la Rosa is the fighting pride of Harlingen, Texas, boasting a record of 23 wins, against 3 losses, with 13 wins coming by way of knockout. De la Rosa has been boxing since he was five years old and became a professional boxer at the age of 17. De la Rosa holds key victories over Abel Perry, Tim Coleman and Tyrone Brunson.

De la Rosa’s biggest victory came on Sept.12, 2014, against the Mexican legend, Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo on the Showtime pay-per-view telecast of Mayweather-Maidana II. “King” took 2015 off to a great start with new trainer James Johnson and All-American track & field strength and conditioning coach, Hickel Woolery.