---
title: "David Lemieux to Face John Ryder for WBA Interim World Title on Canelo-Jacobs Card"
canonical: "https://boxing-social.com/news/john-ryder-face-david-lemieux-wba-interim-world-title-canelo-jacobs-card/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Andi Purewal"
section: "News"
published: "2019-04-10T17:11:47Z"
modified: "2019-04-10T17:12:26Z"
---

# David Lemieux to Face John Ryder for WBA Interim World Title on Canelo-Jacobs Card

David Lemieux (40-4, 34 KOs) will make his 168-pound debut when he takes on John “The Gorilla” Ryder (27-4, 15 KOs) for the WBA Interim World super middleweight title in the scheduled 12-round co-main event of Canelo vs Jacobs on Saturday, May 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, shown live in the US on DAZN and Sky Sports in the UK.

“*There comes a time when every fighter must move up in weight, and now is that time for David Lemieux,”* said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy. *“Lemieux was the hardest-hitting puncher in the 160-pound division, and I’m absolutely certain he will be the biggest puncher at 168 pounds.*

*“John Ryder will be in for a tough fight on May 4. Also, this undercard will also feature some of our brightest stars, including Vergil Ortiz Jr., who with only 12 fights will face a tough veteran in Mauricio Herrera. Golden Boy and DAZN have crafted an excellent night of action, so don’t miss out on this one!”*

Lemieux, 30, was last seen on the televised pay-per-view undercard of Canelo vs. GGG2 when he scored a first-round knockout victory against Gary “Spike” O’Sullivan. The native of Montreal, Canada promises to be stronger than even in his super middleweight debut.

*“I’ve seen \[John\] Ryder fight,”* said David Lemieux. *“He’s a credible rival, but I’m going to make a statement out of what I’m going to do with him. At 168, I’m going to be the strongest that I’ve ever been.”*

Ryder is a 30-year-old native of London who is the No. 1 contender for the WBA super middleweight Title. Ryder has faced tough opposition, including a close fight against Rocky Fielding and a tough battle against Billy Joe Saunders. The “Gorilla” is coming off a seventh-round technical knockout win against previously undefeated Andrey Sirotkin, and he’ll look to retain his shot at the title with a win against Lemieux.

*“I’m fully focused on the fight with David Lemieux but obviously there’s a massive pot of gold for the winner,”* said John Ryder. *“There’s the potential for a fight with Canelo or a fight with Callum Smith, which are both huge. Lemieux is a big puncher if you stand in front of him. I’m a boxer-fighter. I’ll box him at times and fight him at other times when it suits me. Our fighting styles are sure to gel for a great fight. I’m expecting to win and to win well. I’m there to keep my mandatory position.”*

*“We can’t wait for David to show that he can be a powerhouse in the super middleweight division. What better way to demonstrate this than by fighting the No. 1 contender in John Ryder!”* said Camille Estephan, President of Eye of the Tiger Management.

*“This is a great fight on an great night of boxing,”* said Eddie Hearn, Managing Director of Matchroom Sport. *“John Ryder has been on a tremendous run and now takes to the big stage in Las Vegas with the dangerous David Lemieux. It’s a huge fight for both with the winner being mandatory challenger for Callum Smith and I fully expect that to be John Ryder.”*

*Source: Matchroom Boxing \[Press Release\]*