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Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Pascal: "Bute & Me? For The
Canadian Boxing,
It Is Like The Super Bowl In USA"
By Daniel Cloutier
LAS VEGAS ---- Jean Pascal has a tendency to be respectful
for his opponents, but he lost his smile when a journalist
told him what Lucian Bute said on him in Florida few days
ago. Pascal (27-2-1), a former WBC light heavyweight champion
of the world, and Bute (31-1-0), a former IBF super
middleweight champion of the world, two Montrealers, will be
nose to nose in the ring of the Bell Centre May 25th, in a
fight considered as the most prestigious local bout in the
history of the Canadian pro boxing. This NABF light
heavyweight North American championship (12 rounds) will be
televised by HBO.
Pascal is training in Las Vegas, at the 50 cents Boxing Gym,
and Bute works in Miami. “Bute said I am a big mouth and he
will shut it with his fists May 25th,” said Pascal. “We will
see that. I thought Lucian was more polite than that. He can
say what he wants, I know one thing: Lucian is Stéphane
Larouche's puppet. I guess he said that because his trainer
ask him to say it. But between you and me, I don't care. It
is what will happen in the ring which is important for me.
May 25th, I will talk with my fists. And my fists are
talking loud! And we will see how Bute will react when I
will connect him with my power shots.”
Bute, also, said Pascal is a four rounds fighter. “If Bute
thinks seriously I will become his victim after four rounds
of action, he will have a huge surprise,” said Pascal. “If
it is true that I have no stamina, how can he explain I
fought like hell with Carl Froch during 12 rounds in a row
in December 2008 in Nottingham? The same Carl Froch stopped
Bute in less than five rounds a year ago in Nottingham. And
how Bute can explain I fought like hell during 24 rounds in
my two fights with Bernard Hopkins? The fight could be short
May 25th, but if it is a long and rough battle, trust me, I
will be there until the end of the 12 rounds.”
Pascal said it will be a magic evening. “I love prestigious
event, and we will certainly live one May 25th,”
said Pascal. “It will be for the Canadian boxing the
equivalent of the Super Bowl for the Americans football
fans. I don't know if it will be fun for Bute, but for sure,
it will be for me.”
Marc Ramsay, the Pascal's trainer, is really impressed by
the hard work of his fighter. “Jean has three sessions of
training each day, and he works with enthusiasm from the
morning to the evening,” said Ramsay.” I never saw him in
this kind of shape since the fight with Chad Dawson in 2010
(Pascal won by technical decision in 11th round). I am sure
he will be energetic and explosive when the bell will ring
May 25th. You will see in action the real Jean Pascal.”
When a journalist said: “Jean, you got to admit that Bute is
a very talented fighter”, Pascal said: “I will not deny
Bute's talent,” said Pascal. “He is intelligent and he is
fighting with discipline and speed. However, in a event of
this amplitude, it is crucial to be able to be emotional and
explosive. You will see what I mean when the first bell will
ring.”
Yvon Michel, the promoter of the GYM Group (the Pascal's
clan), and Jean Bédard, the promoter of InterBox, should
confirm next week that more than 20,000 seats have been sold
for this event. If we surpass the legendary bout between
Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran June 20th 1980 at
Olympic Stadium (43,000), the previous record for a local
boxing event happened in 2002, when Arturo Gatti fought Joe
Hutchinson at Bell Centre. A bit more than 18,3000 fans were
at that event.
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