Photo by Tom Hogan / Hoganphotos-Golden Boy Promotions

Middleweight puncher David Lemieux has signed an exclusive promotional contract with Golden Boy Promotions, the Los Angeles-based company and the fighter’s management team announced on Friday.

Lemieux, a 26-year-old attraction in his native Montreal, has won eight consecutive fights including his impressive U.S. debut last month, an HBO-televised 10^th-round stoppage of former title challenger Gabriel Rosado at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Lemieux impressed U.S. fans watching on HBO by dropping Rosado in Round 3, going toe to toe with the experienced gatekeeper in Round 4 and eventually wearing down the rugged veteran to a stoppage when the medical examiner waved the fight off due to Rosado’s terribly swollen left eye.

Lemieux’s previous bout against Fernando Guerrero for the then vacant NABF middleweight title resulted in a dominating win for Lemieux, knocking down Guerrero in the first round, second round, third round and finally a technical knockout in the fourth round. Now Lemieux is certainly seen as a serious contender for a world title and for 2015 bouts against the elite of the division.

“David Lemieux is the ideal Golden Boy fighter – a power puncher who is exciting for fans to watch and willing to take on anyone in the division,” said Golden Boy Promotions Founder and President Oscar De La Hoya in a press release. “As the calendar turns to 2015 and Golden Boy further focuses on delivering the fights that fans want to see, David Lemieux will fit right in with our stable of new fighters.”

Lemieux (33-2, 31 knockouts) is currently ranked second by the WBC, fifth by the IBF and third by the WBO.

“David has shown us that he is ready for the elite of the division and I believe that with Golden Boy we will be placed in opportunities against these fighters,” said Camille Estephan, President of Eye of The Tiger Management, which manages Lemieux. “We will have very exciting news for David’s fans and boxing fans around the world.”

Lemieux said he is very pleased and excited to be associated with Golden Boy Promotions in the press release.

“I am ready to face the best and this is the mission that I give to Camille Estephan at Eye of the Tiger Management and Oscar De La Hoya and Eric Gomez at Golden Boy Promotions,” Lemieux said.

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Video by Bill Emes