With the Dynasty II Pascal vs. Hopkins rematch coming up this weekend, Jean Pascal held a media conference call to discuss the bout, the first fight with Bernard Hopkins, the public perception of the contest, his training and more. Take a look at what Pascal and his promoter Yvon Michel had to say below.
Yvon Michel
Thank you, everybody, for joining on for this conference call. First, I would like to thank all our partners for this event HBO, Golden Boy Promotions, Gary Shaw Promotions, and InterBox for helping us to put on a very exceptional show here in Montreal. We are ten days from the fight. Next week is fight week, and everyday there will be activities. It’s going to be a boxing week in Montreal. We will have public trainings, press conferences, the weigh-in, and then the event.
It is going to be a great show. We have nine fights that are going to be shown, especially the two great fights starting with Chad Dawson vs. Adrian Diaconu. Both are former WBC Light Heavyweight champions. They will try to qualify themselves to fight for the title again. Then there is the great rematch of the fight between Pascal and Hopkins which took place on December 18 of last year. So, Jean Pascal will be trying again to retain his title against Bernard Hopkins, who will try to make history once again by trying to be the oldest boxer in history to ever win a world championship title.
Right now we have a little over 13,000 tickets sold. We are expecting a crowd near or a little over 17,000 people. Tickets are still available in Canada. It will be also on pay-per-view too. Canadians can go to Shaw TV, Bell TV, Sasktel and Viewer’s Choice Canada.
Jean Pascal was born in Haiti, but moved in Canada when he was four years old. So he was raised in Canada and learned boxing in Canada. He has represented Canada in numerous international competitions, including the PanAm Games, the Commonwealth Games, and the Olympic Games in 2004. He turned pro in 2005. He became World Champion in 2009. Since he moved to the light heavyweight division, he has fought seven times and has never lost. It’s going to be his fifth light heavyweight title defense when he gets in the ring against Hopkins on May 21st.
His trainer is Marc Ramsay. He’s been with Marc Ramsay since his amateur days. He was with Marc when he was on the Canada National Team. So, when he turned pro, he kept Marc and most of his people who were with him at that time.
He’s a great athlete and has a lot of ambitions. His ambition is to become an ace in boxing, and become the best of his kind. He is entertaining. He’s spectacular. Another big thing is that he wants to be a role model. He always was careful in everything he has done and said in his career. So, he believes that he is in the position to be a role model for society. A role model for youth in the sport, and one of his goals is to make sure that boxing is a clean and straightforward sport. On May 21st, he wants to start his own dynasty and be Bernard Hopkins’ successor. So, I introduce to you, Jean Pascal.
Jean Pascal
Hi, everybody. I’m really excited to talk to you. I’ve been training really hard for the rematch against Bernard Hopkins. I’m totally prepared. I’m well prepared. I know today you guys are going to ask me a lot of questions about those tests that I asked Bernard to do. But if you think about it seriously, if Obama was willing to show his birth certificate, then why can’t Hopkins take the test?
Q
How do you feel 10 days out from the fight?
J. Pascal
I know it’s going to be a tough challenge, but he I am a fighter of challenges. I know that I need to bring my A-game and that is exactly what I am preparing to do.
Q
I want to know, do you regret calling Hopkins a cheater at the press conference in Montreal? Are you concerned when he says that he might take legal action and try to get a lot of money from you after the fight?
J. Pascal
That just makes me laugh, because if he wants to sue me, I will file a complaint because he said he’s going to kill me. Also, it’s sad that we have to go through all of this for central blood tests. If we are both clean, let’s just take the test, simple as that.
Q
You think he’s trying to get inside your head by saying that he wants to kill you?
J. Pascal
He’s trying to make me quiet. But, that won’t work. I’m going to bark like a dog, and I’m going to explode in the nation.
Q
Yvon, is there any different drug testing going on this fight than normally would be done in the province?
Y. Michel
Not that I know of.
Q
I’ve been hearing that maybe there was going to be some sort of test. What is the general testing procedure for a major fight in Canada?
Y. Michel
No. I believe there’s a choice between before or after the fight. But, what I was told is that the procedure will be the same, but there might be a more extensive testing on the urine sample.
Q
So, in other words, test for more things than they maybe do normally?
Y. Michel
Maybe. It was a possibility that I was told that the procedure will be exactly the same.
Q
Jean, my question is for you now. I understand where you’re coming from about you’d like to make sure everybody’s clean. I can appreciate that without question. But, do you think that Bernard is cheating?
J. Pascal
I don’t think Bernard’s cheating. I said that at the press conference, “Bernard, I know you’re a clean fighter.” He said “who am I to ask him that?” I wasn’t going to be disrespectful. I just wanted to make sure that the fans’ voices were heard to let them know that we participate in a clean sport. That’s it.
Q
Well, when this came up, was there any negotiation for a fight. Both sides will ask for different things whether it’s the kind of gloves you wear or what the weight’s going to be for the fight, all kinds of different things. Did you ever, at any point when your people were negotiating this re-match, think to ask the Hopkins’ side to put this in the contract so there would be no issues as opposed to bringing it up at the last minute?
Y. Michel
I can answer that. Jean asked us about it, but not for the first fight.
Q
No, I mean the second fight, Yvon.
Y. Michel
No, for the second fight, it was too late. Once the fight has been ordered by the WBC and had been bought by HBO, we were forced into the fight. We didn’t have that negotiation power to add anything that was not in the first fight.
J. Pascal
Because it is the rematch, Hopkins doesn’t need to agree with any extra things that I’m bringing to the table.
Q
I want to ask you about the fight specifically, aside from all this stuff about the drug testing. Jean, it was a very close fight in the first fight. You are younger by – you are 28, Bernard’s 46 – so there is a big, big age difference there. You should be entering your prime or in your prime right now as a fighter. Was it a harder fight than you anticipated? If so, what can you do better in the second fight to make sure that you get the W this time?
J. Pascal
It wasn’t harder than I thought because I knew Bernard was still a good fighter. I know when you fight with Hopkins, it’s always complicated. He has a lot of experience. I’m young, but I did some things wrong last time. But, with the rematch, I’m going to expect to be me and to show the world that I’m a great fighter, and I’m better than Bernard Hopkins.
Q
Anything in particular? Maybe better footwork or keep him down next time you drop him to the canvas?
J. Pascal
Tune in May 21.
Q
Bernard said yesterday [at his media workout in Philadelphia] that he still has the title belts that you gave to him as a gag, and he kept them. He has them in his apartment. Does that irk you that he hasn’t returned those belts and don’t you want them back before the fight?
J. Pascal
No, because that was the only way he was going to get them. Because he knows that he cannot beat me. So, that was a really nice gift from me, because he knows that he cannot beat me. So, that’s why he took the belts. If a fighter wanted to do that to me, I would say no, keep your belts because I will earn them in the ring May 21.
Q
Everybody realized that you had slowed down after the first round on December 18. So, what have you done in the camp to try to overcome that?
J. Pascal
Bernard Hopkins said that I was a four round fighter, and this is it. I’m going to knock him out inside four rounds.
Q
Yes, but if it takes more than four rounds?
J. Pascal
Be there. You’ll see that’s what I will be able to do.
Q
George Foreman has predicted a knockout win for Bernard Hopkins next May 21st. So, how do you feel about that?
J. Pascal
It’s not a problem. That will make my win more spectacular or even better, since a great athlete like Foreman is considering that I am the underdog.
Q
What have you learned from the first fight, since you seemed to be exhausted after five rounds? Have you changed anything in your preparation? Have you planned to manage the fight differently?
J. Pascal
Look, for the first fight, we tried new training methods. Not the same that we had used in the past because we believed that you should not get into a boring routine with training, you should try new things. But, for this fight, I used my old recipe. So, I trained like I was training before.
Q
What changed?
J. Pascal
You’ll see everything on May 21 and I’ll tell you after.
Q
Is there a rematch clause for a third fight between the two no matter who wins?
Y. Michel
There is no rematch clause. There is not a request on either side for rematch. But we realized also, that any way if you have a rematch clause on the fight that nobody wants to see, no network will be willing to buy it. So, that doesn’t mean anything. If you don’t have a rematch clause, but everybody wants to see a rematch, and networks are willing to pay whatever to show it, then you can have it. So, that’s why we haven’t insisted or asked Golden Boy to have anything.
Q
Do you think there is a possibility that you will be sued by Hopkins for your statement about the doping test?
J. Pascal
I didn’t say that he was cheating. I said that he’s a legend and he should lead by example. He should have taken the lead. Look, another boxer who’s representing his country for free, only for the honor, has to go through the Olympic testing series before going to the Olympic games. A pro fighter has to pass obsolete tests only. So, these tests have to be updated in 2011.
It was a trend that was started by Floyd Mayweather. Even Manny Pacquiao said recently that he would take the test if he can bring in the fight with Mayweather. So, if Hopkins doesn’t want to take the lead and do that, I am is willing to do it. Also, it’s funny how Golden Boy stressed how Manny Pacquiao had to take the test. Now, they are looking bitter and trying to avoid the subject.
Q
I notice from your record that you fight almost exclusively in Canada as the world light heavyweight champion, you’ve not defended your championship outside of Canada. What are your feelings on fighting outside of Canada?
J. Pascal
I have no problem fighting outside of Canada. I’m going to go where the fans want me to go. I fought in England in 2008. I wasn’t scared to go overseas, because I’m a warrior. I’m a soldier. I always want to give fans the best show possible.
Q
That one fight that you did have in the United States was against Omar Pittman. Can you talk a little about that fight?
J. Pascal
That was a good fight. I dominated Pittman. I fought with only one arm, because at the time, I had my shoulder injury and it was bothering me a lot. So, I think that I did pretty well with only one arm.
Q
Now that you’re the world champion, Mr. Pascal, do you think it’s important to defend your championship throughout the world? Can a world champion exist in just one country, Canada?
J. Pascal
Of course. I was willing to go to the United States for the rematch to beat up Bernard Hopkins. But, he has no fans in America. So, that’s why he chose to go back to Canada to make more money. He knows that in Canada we will have a great fight, great fans, and he knows he’s going to make more money in Canada than he’s going to make in America because he has no fan base.
Q
You’re Haitian, isn’t that correct?
J. Pascal
Yes, yes, I’m Haitian.
Q
What about defending your world title in Haiti? Is that something that you ever think about?
J. Pascal
That would be awesome. But, right now, I think the country has other concerns. I’m going to try to help the country to rebuild because we had a really bad earthquake last year. That was really, really terrible. So, that I don’t think this is the right time. But, probably in the future, it will be something really, really nice.
Y. Michel
I’d like to make a statement on that. Yes, though Jean Pascal is fighting where this is the best business possible. If it would have been the best business to fight in the States, he would have fought in the States. But, what I find funny is we never ask the American champion if they would be willing to defend the title outside USA to see if they are real champions, though.
Q
Are you angry that George Foreman has chosen Bernard Hopkins, has predicted a KO win for Hopkins?
J. Pascal
I have a lot of respect for Foreman. He’s a great legend. And, it’s not upsetting at all because if I win, it will going to be an even stronger exploit, because somebody like George Foreman believes that Hopkins still has what it takes to beat me.
Q
Now, with the war of words that has been going on the last couple of months, will you take more risk in the ring to try to finish him up?
J. Pascal
My style is to take risks. I’m not a boring fighter. I like to fight a spectacular fight. It hasn’t always been the case in the past for Hopkins. Yes, I’m going to take risks. Yes, I will try to get the knockout and we’ll see whatever happens, happens.
Q
At the outset of this teleconference today, Yvon had said that you want to be a role model. I just wonder if you can talk a little bit about that because in Canada where boxing doesn’t have the kind of profiles of a sport like hockey. How do you think defeating Bernard Hopkins might help you get there?
J. Pascal
Well, I think boxing right now is the second biggest sport in Canada. That’s why Bernard Hopkins is coming to Montreal to try to beat me, because he knows boxing is great. It’s good in Canada. I’m just going to be me, a simple guy. I’m trying to do the right thing to show the good example to the younger kids.
Q
Do you think beating somebody of Mr. Hopkins’ stature in the sport will help you further that aim or get the attention of Canadians outside of Quebec?
J. Pascal
Yes, of course to beat a legend like Hopkins, it gives me a lot of credibility and I’m not going to be seen as a champion. I’m going to be seen as the one who put Hopkins to sleep and the one who sent Hopkins to the Hall of Fame.
Q
Most of the experts in the United States are picking Hopkins to win next week. Do you think that you need to beat Hopkins to have some recognition in the States to really make a statement as a light heavyweight champion?
Y. Michel
When Jean fought Hopkins the first time, he was the odds favorite. Most of the people believed that Jean was going to be too young, too strong and too fresh for Hopkins who was coming off two ordinary fights, two ordinary performances against Ornelas and Roy Jones. So, most of the people believed that Hopkins should have called off and not taken the fight, but because of his performance, the draw that he got against Pascal, Hopkins is back in people’s minds. He’s a great. He’s a phenomenon. Most people didn’t know who Jean Pascal was until he fought Chad Dawson. But, the same people believed that it was a counter-performance by Dawson instead of a great performance of Jean Pascal.
Now, some believe that Jean was exposed when he fought the great Hopkins, so a win for Pascal over Hopkins next week will be a great win. It will make Jean Pascal go from a champion to a star around the world and in the United States because it will be a significant win. Not a win against somebody who is over the hill and too old like it would have been December 18th, but a win against the great fighter who has still has what it takes to put up a great fight. So a win next week for Jean will be a break-through fight.
J. Pascal
I would like to set the record straight. I never accused Hopkins of anything, but I certainly didn’t expect to get that kind of reaction out of him. If you’re not taking anything, why would you be upset? Also, I really think that people who don’t want to disclose the truth are people have something to hide. Ask me the same question about the test and I will tell you anytime, anywhere I’m willing to take the test. You can even take my arm to take the test. Also, I won’t call the Quebec Commission to find out what kind of tests they’re going to make in advance like Hopkins did.
Y. Michel
Next week in Montreal, May the 21st is going to be a great week. On May 21st at the Bell Center there will be a big crowd. The fans will be full of emotion, full of energy and if there are 17,000 people there, they will be 17,000 people cheering for their hometown favorite. They will all be behind Jean Pascal no matter what anybody has said before. You will see. We are expecting a huge success in all departments, outside and inside the ring. So tune in or come here. You’re going to have a great night.
