Jean Pascal held a media workout this week. Find all the quotes here, along with a video from HBO Boxing showcasing Sergey Kovalev’s greatest hits and highlights as they head into their rematch clash.
Jean Pascal – Former World Champion
On working with Freddie Roach
“I like Freddie. Freddie is a good man. He is a great boxing coach. One thing that I like about Freddie is he is a coach who like to listen. He is gonna ask me question. He is going to try to see my point of view. He gonna explain to me his point of view. He has a good ear. He has great experience and that is the quality of a good coach. I am my own boss. I need a partner. Freddie is the right partner right now. I am a veteran. I went to the Olympics. I became world champion. I am about to become two-time world champion in a few weeks. I need more like a partner to evolve than a boss.”
On Kovalev-Pascal I
“A few things went wrong but they were very like minor details. Right now we have corrected those mistakes so I can be victorious on Jan. 30. My mental [attitude] is very strong. I am physically strong. I am very confident. I am well-prepared physically and mentally. Freddie has the eye of the tiger. He see things. That is the goal right now to correct my small mistakes that I did on the first fight. That is why I think this time around I am going to be victorious.”
On the game plan for this fight:
“The same strategy won’t work. Both guys have smartened up. Maybe the fight was stopped too soon but referees are there for a reason, to protect the fighter and so forth. We’re not going to blame the referee at all. In world title fights I think there is a little more judgment or a little more give because it is a world title fight but I don’t see how that could even get close to happening in this fight because his boxing ability is really, really good. That is what I intend for him to do.”
On Kovalev-Pascal I and the stoppage:
“I thought he fought a poor fight. I thought he was looking for a knockout too much and he can’t do that. You go out there and box. Use your boxing ability. Beat this guy every round at a time. If a knockout comes that’s a bonus. He totally understands that. I told him if you go out there and start swinging for the fences and get real wild like you can do at times when you get back to the corner I won’t be there. I’m going to go home. I said, ‘Don’t embarrass me like that.” You are a professional fighter. You know how to box. Go out there and outbox this guy.’ That’s the biggest game plan for me.”
