Unbeaten middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders defends his WBO world title against David Lemieux on December 16th.

The unbeaten champion accepts that he must beat the Canadian in order to both prove he’s ready for the winner of the Canelo Alvarez v Gennady Golovkin rematch and show he truly belongs among the elite in the division.

The Canelo vs. Golovkin rematch is being lined up for May of next year.

“I’m looking at this as a breakthrough fight, let’s face it if I can’t beat David Lemieux what chance do I have to beat Canelo and Golovkin? Zero,” he told FightHype.

“I’m a realist, I talk straight…If I can’t beat David Lemieux then I’m not the man that I think I am, because Lemieux got smashed against Golovkin!”

It’s clear the Englishman is looking to secure the winner of a blockbuster rematch between Canelo and ‘Triple G’, and is convinced he has what it takes to trouble the Kazakh.

“I look at Golovkin I know in my heart and soul I bring something to the table he wouldn’t like. But all I want is when I go to Canada and I do my job I want a fair decision, I don’t want a Golovkin [vs. Canelo] result. I want Golden Boy to treat me fair, that’s all I ask of them," Saunders said.

“I’ll come back and fight their man Canelo, I don’t care, I’ll go back to America and give him a chance to fight for the WBO. Golden Boy would love this belt for Golovkin and Canelo, I have the missing piece of the jigsaw, they might say ‘we’ll get him over here and rob him for that.’ The world will be watching. They can’t afford to do that,” Saunders added.

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