Former IBF middleweight titleholder and current super middleweight contender David Lemieux will be an interested bystander when The Ring, WBA and WBC champion Canelo Alvarez faces WBO counterpart Billy Joe Saunders at the AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, on Saturday.

The intriguing-looking unification will be broadcast on DAZN, starting at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT.

“It’s a good matchup in terms of style,” Lemieux (42-4, 35 knockouts) told The Ring. “Canelo better be ready to chase the runner but I’m not concerned for Canelo.”

Lemieux was widely outboxed when he met Saunders for the Brits WBO 160-pound title in December 2017. 

It was an eye-opening performance by the talented British southpaw. Though Lemieux says there were mitigating circumstances that hindered his performance.

“I shared the ring against Saunders but months before the fight I had knee surgery, torn meniscus,” said Lemieux, who has since moved up to 168-pounds, won four consecutive fights and will next fight on June 4. “It wasn’t the best timing for me, a lot of the camp I wasn’t running or doing my sprints that help me be explosive in the ring. Anyhow that was then.”

The 32-year-old Canadian power-puncher has long campaigned to face Canelo. He feels boxing’s biggest star and current pound-for-pound king is at the height of his powers but believes Canelo has to be fully dialed in because of Saunders’ awkward southpaw style.

“Canelo is a very complete fighter,” said Lemieux. “But he’s gonna have to be ready for Saunders, which I’m sure he will be.

“Canelo is strong but as we’ve seen against the great [Floyd] Mayweather [Jr.], he has had some difficulty against slick and moving kind of fighters and let’s not forget [Erislandy] Lara.”

Ultimately, Lemieux feels the Mexican, who is in the thick of his prime, will know enough gain the victory.

“Canelo wins the fight but I won’t be surprised if it goes to decision,” he said. “Canelo wins a unanimous decision.”

Reach Anson at [email protected] and you can follow him on Twitter@AnsonWainwright