| |
|
|
Pascal vs. Hopkins Fight Week
In Montreal Begins
By Daniel Cloutier
Monday kicked off an exciting week in Quebec. At the
training session at the Corona Theater, Jean Pascal
said,"Hopkins and I have said terrible things about each
other so far and a lot of people are mad about this. They
are considering that we have no class, but believe me, we
dislike each other very much. I have a prepared much better
for the rematch. I will be more energetic this time. In the
first fight, December 18th in Québec City, I had a great
beginning of fight, I floored Hopkins twice in the first
rounds, but after the fourth round I was unable to ajust my
strategy to put Hopkins in more trouble. I will be a lot
better this time. I am extremely motivated to fight Hopkins
a second time. In the first fight I had too much respect for
him. I was impressed by him because I was watching him on TV
when I was young and I was one of his fans. I don’t have any
respect for him now. After December 18th fight he spit on me
and spit on the population of Québec, I will never forgive
him for that. I want to make him pay for his lack of class
and respect."
Marc Ramsay, Pascal’s trainer, said, " I really think that
Hopkins is very agitated, a sign showing that he is very
nervous. He never stopped attacking Jean verbally and now he
is spitting of Donovan McNabb, the former quaterback of the
Eagles who is a hero in Philadelphia. There are people who
believe that Hopkins is in Pascal's head, that he won the
psychological war, but nobody will persuade me of that.
Pascal is calm and confident. Hopkins said in Philadelphia
he will stop Pascal before the 12th round, but trust me, he
is mixing reality and fiction."
Today, Diaconu and Dawson also trained in public. Diaconu,
who is not a talker, just said,"I have perfect preparation,
I have waited four years to fight Dawson, and I know I will
win. I don’t know if it is the most important fight of my
career, but it is certainly one of the most important ones."
Pierre Bouchard, Diaconu’s trainer said, "Emmanuel Steward
said that we will see a new Chad Dawson, more intense, more
agressive, more hungry, but I doubt this. I think that
Adrian will chase Dawson from the beginning to the end, and
Dawson, with his long arms, long reach, long legs, will move
constantly and work strictly in counter-attacks. We will see
if Dawson can handle 12 rounds of pressure that Adrian will
put on him."
I told him, "In the Las Vegas sports book, Dawson is
favorite by 4 to 1." Bouchard replied,"Normal. Dawson is a
very big name in U.S.A., not Adrian, and Dawson won six
world championship fights in seven tries. However, when the
fight starts the bookies prediction will mean nothing. The
game will be played between two men, Adrian and Dawson. The
most courageous fighter, the most hungry fighter, will win
at the end."
Tomorrow, we will have the final press conference with
Pascal and Hopkins and on Thursday, we will have the final
press conference with Diaconu and Dawson.
|
|
|
