| |
|
|
Cloutier’s Canada Corner
Pascal Planning Move To
Heavyweight
Division To Challenge Stiverne
By Daniel Cloutier
MONTRÉAL —— The Montrealer boxer Jean Pascal said seriously
that he wants to leave the light heavyweight division to
complete his career in the heavyweight division.
He revealed to the Montréal columnist Réjean Tremblay, from
Le Journal de Montréal, that he has the physical gift to
fight in the heavyweight division, and his first ambition,
is to challenge the Montrealer Bermane Stiverne (24-2-1),
who lost his WBC heavyweight championship of the world
January 17th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, against the
American Deontay Wilder (33-0-0). Wilder won the bout by
unanimous decision.
Pascal (29-3-1) and Stiverne are two Montrealers Haitians,
but they never been friends. “Yes, it’s true, I am planning
to move up in the heavyweight division, said Pascal. I could
fight at 200, 205 or 210 pounds. Evander Holyfield did
something similar. He moved from light heavyweight division
to the cruiserweight division (190 pounds), and moved after
in the heavyweight division. And he became world champion in
the heavyweight division. I got a weight of 185 pounds one
week before the fight with Kovalev, than, I am sure it would
be not a problem for me to fight at 200, 205 or 210 pounds.
And I am really interested to face Bermane Stiverne. He is
not anymore world champion, but he still ranked in the Top
10 in the world. I am sure a fight between Bermane and me
would create a real commotion in Canada, and could draw a
huge crowd in Montréal specially. Some boxing fans in
Montréal will believe I am crazy, but I am positive it’s a
brilliant idea to complete my career in the heavyweight
category.”
Last Saturday evening in the ring of the Bell Centre, Pascal
lost by TKO in the eight round against the Russian Sergey
Kovalev (27-0-1), the WBA, WBO and IBF light heavyweight
champion of the world. it was the first time in his career
that Pascal lost before the limit of a fight.
“I made too many mistakes in defence against Kovalev, said
Pascal. When I will be back in training, I will work
seriously to improve this aspect of my style. No doubt I
would need to be efficient in defence in fighting in the
heavyweight division. The men are big and strong in the
heavyweight category.”
Jean Bédard, the president of InterBox and the Pascal’s
promoter, is ready to support totally his fighter in the
orientation of his career. “I know that Pascal is thinking
very seriously to complete his career in the heavyweight
division, and I will certainly support him if he makes the
move, said Bédard. Pascal mentioned me many times his dream
to fight Bermane Stiverne, and I will help to realize his
dream.”
Pascal was fighting in the super middleweight division (168
pounds) in 2008. However, after his loss by unanimous
decision against the British Carl Froch (33-2-0) in a WBC
vacant super middleweight championship of the world
presented in Nottingham, England, Pascal moved up in the
light heavyweight (175 pounds) to face the Montrealer
Romanian Adrian Diaconu. He beat twice Diaconu by unanimous
decision in WBC light heavyweight championships bouts
presented at Bell Centre in Montréal. Pascal lost his WBC
175 pounds belt to Bernard Hopkins (55-7-2) in 2011, again
at Bell Centre.
|
|
|
