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.”

Jean Pascal
Photo Credits: Craig Bennett/Main Events

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.”

Jean Pascal Stretches Before His Workout
Photo Credits: Craig Bennett/Main Events

Jean Pascal’s Trainer – Freddie roach

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.”

Freddie Roach Takes Questions from the Media
Photo Credits: Craig Bennett/Main Events

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.”

About January 30
The grudge match for the unified light heavyweight world championship between Sergey Kovalev and Jean Pascal, a Vidéotron presentation in collaboration with Mise-O-Jeu, will be televised live in the United States on HBO beginning 9:45pm ET/PT. In Canada the event will be available on pay-per-view TV, please consult with your local cable provider. The card is promoted by Main Events and InterBox in association with German Titov Promotions. Tickets are on sale on at www.evenko.ca, at Centre Bell box office and at Club de boxe Champions in Montreal.

Kovalev-Pascal II Promo
Kovalev-Pascal II Promo

About Main Events
Main Events was founded in 1978 by the late Dan Duva and is now run by his widow Kathy Duva. As one of the top promotional companies in the world, Main Events has promoted boxing legends Evander Holyfield, Arturo Gatti, Lennox Lewis, Pernell Whitaker and many more. Currently, Main Events promotes WBO, IBF and WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev. Main Events is committed to promoting quality fights that boxing fans want to see.

About InterBox
InterBox, founded in Québec in 1997, and acquired by Groupe Sportscene in 2004, is a boxing organization that is recognized and respected throughout the Quebec province and the world. Its goal is to promote professional boxing, locally and internationally, with talented boxers who are supervised by top-notch trainers and have access to a cutting-edge support staff. InterBox regularly promotes and presents first-rate events in cooperation with such major corporate sponsors as Vidéotron, La Cage – Brasserie sportive and Coors Light.

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Welterweight Ray Robinson was injured in a car accident and will not be able to compete in his January 30 bout with Dmitry Mikhaylenko that was to be televised on HBO as the co-feature to the rematch of Sergey Kovalev and Jean Pascal in Montreal, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“He hurt his back. He’s in pain even when he tries to sit down,” said Robinson’s promoter Russell Peltz said. “It’s a real bummer. This was a big fight for Ray.

MONTREAL, January 8th 2016 – Main Events and InterBox are proud to offer to boxing fans a quality card with a championship flair this January 30 at the Bell Centre. The event, which will feature the unified light heavyweight world championship grudge match between WBA, WBO and IBF title holder Sergey Kovalev and former world champion Jean Pascal, will also put two other titles on the line : Dmitry Mikhaylenko against Ray Robinson for the USBA welterweight belt as well as Renan St-Juste against Francis Lafrenière for the International IBF middleweight title.

“We asked our team to put together a balanced and diverse card that would showcase our up-and-coming talent,” said InterBox Vice President Pierre Duc.

To kick the evening off, Quebec-based hard puncher Steven ‘Bang Bang’ Butler (13-0-1, 11 K.O.) will meet against Angola’s Antonio Hoffmann (13-0, 9 K.O.). Just like Eye of the Tiger Management’s young local rookie, Hoffman is a fierce competitor who has a devastating punch and is quite gifted technically.

“I am presently in camp in the United States for my bout against Hoffman and I am in great shape,” said Butler. “I’m pumped for this fight and I look forward to it, as well as to all the challenges 2016 will bring me. I have lofty goals and I intend to impress the crowd at Bell Centre on January 30.”

After another impressive performance in front of his fans where he beat Quebec-based boxer Frank Cotroni in spectacular fashion, Sorel’s David Théroux (8-1, 5 K.O.) will be back in the Bell Centre ring on January 30 to face Mexican boxer Juan Armando Garcia (12-2-2, 5 K.O.) in a six-round middleweight bout.

Théroux said he is thrilled to fight on the undercard of the unified world championship grudge match between Sergey Kovalev and Jean Pascal: “Their first fight was a memorable night for me and a great number of boxing fans considering the quality of the fights that were scheduled that night and the electric atmosphere there was in the building! I am confident I will put on a good show on January 30 because my opponent, Juan Armando Garcia, is a tough fighter who does not shy away from challenges.”

For his part, Sébastien Bouchard (11-1, 4 K.O.) will be back in action to fight Poland’s Damian Mielewczky (9-1, 7 K.O.) at 160 pounds.

The grudge match for the unified light heavyweight world championship between Sergey ‘Krusher’ Kovalev and Jean Pascal, a Vidéotron presentation in collaboration with Mise-O-Jeu, will be televised live in the United States on HBO World Championship Boxing ® beginning 9:45pm ET/PT. The HBO telecast will open with a 10-round welterweight contest between Dmitry Mikhaylenko and Ray Robinson. In Canada the event will be available on pay-per-view TV, please consult with your local cable provider. The card is promoted by Main Events and InterBox in association with German Titov Promotions. Tickets are on sale on at www.evenko.ca, at Centre Bell box office and at Club de boxe Champions in Montreal.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Undefeated welterweight prospect Dmitry “The Mechanic” Mikhaylenko (20-0, 9 KOs) will look to make his mark in the wide-open welterweight division against southpaw Ray “The New Ray Robinson” Robinson (20-2, 9 KOs) in the opening 10-round bout of the Kovalev-Pascal II HBO World Championship Boxing event Saturday, Jan. 30 live from the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The telecast begins at 9:45 pm ET/PT live on HBO®.

Mikhaylenko, 29, from Gelendzhik, Russia, is co-promoted by Main Events and German Titov Promotions. “The Mechanic” is undefeated and stopped his last three opponents, including former interim super lightweight titleholder Johan Perez. This will be his second fight in Canada; he stopped Felipe De la Paz in the fifth round on the undercard of Kovalev-Pascal I.

Dmitry Mikhaylenko

Dmitry said, “I am excited to be on HBO and back in Canada. This is a big fight for me; I am looking to get my name in the hunt at the top of the welterweight division. I am also excited to be opening for my countryman, Sergey Kovalev. I hope to put on a great show.”

Robinson, also 29, is a tough southpaw from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania who has not lost a fight in over five years. He has won his last nine fights in a row, five of them by way of knockout. In his last fight he defended his NABO Welterweight Title with a ten-round unanimous decision victory over Sherzodbek Alimjanov back in April of this year.

“Success comes with a price,” said Robinson. “I paid my dues. Jan. 30 will be another step closer to my dreams.”

Ray Robinson
Ray Robinson

According to Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events, “These are the kinds of fights that fans want to see. In the stacked welterweight division these are two ranked fighters, both in the prime of their careers, looking to make their mark. Dmitry continues to impress us as he has quietly worked his way through the ranks of the division. He is willing to stand and trade punches with anyone and has proven on numerous occasions that with his high punch output he ready for anything.”

German Titov, Mikhaylenko’s co-promoter added, “We have put on a lot of great shows with Main Events. I am excited to collaborate on another top-tier event. Mikhaylenko is hungry to make a name for himself in one of the most competitive divisions in boxing and a win over a ranked fighter like Robinson will go a long way towards achieving that goal.”

About January 30
The grudge match for the unified light heavyweight world championship between Sergey Kovalev and Jean Pascal, a Vidéotron presentation in collaboration with Mise-O-Jeu, will be televised live in the United States on HBO beginning 9:45pm ET/PT as well as on pay-per-view TV in Canada. The card is promoted by Main Events and Interbox in association with German Titov Promotions. Tickets are on sale on at www.evenko.ca, at the Bell Centre box office and at Club de boxe Champions in Montreal.

About Main Events
Main Events was founded in 1978 by the late Dan Duva and is now run by his widow Kathy Duva. As one of the top promotional companies in the world, Main Events has promoted boxing legends Evander Holyfield, Arturo Gatti, Lennox Lewis, Pernell Whitaker and many more. Currently, Main Events promotes WBO, IBF and WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev. Main Events is committed to promoting quality fights that boxing fans want to see.

About InterBox
InterBox, founded in Québec in 1997, and acquired by Groupe Sportscene in 2004, is a boxing organization that is recognized and respected throughout the Quebec province and the world. Its goal is to promote professional boxing, locally and internationally, with talented boxers who are supervised by top-notch trainers and have access to a cutting-edge support staff. InterBox regularly promotes and presents first-rate events in cooperation with such major corporate sponsors as Vidéotron, La Cage – Brasserie sportive and Coors Light.

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MONTREAL, December 18, 2015 – Main Events and InterBox are excited to unveil the first bout between two local fighters that will be on the undercard of the unified light heavyweight world championship fight between the holder of IBF, WBA and WBO titles Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev and former world champion Jean Pascal on January 30 at the Bell Centre. Indeed, both promoters are happy to announce to boxing fans from the province of Quebec a long-awaited confrontation between Canadian middleweight champion Francis Lafrenière (10-5-2, 6 K.O.) and veteran boxer Renan St-Juste (26-4-1, 18 K.O.) for the IBF International middleweigth belt.

Renan St-Juste said he couldn’t wait to go into the ring on January 30 : “I’ve beaten all the Quebec-based boxers in my weight division except two : David Lemieux and Francis Lafrenière. The latter, who has improved a lot recently and has moved up significantly in world rankings, was the next one on my list. He’s a good warrior and I will definitely not underestimate him. But it will be a first for him at Bell Centre and he will be facing an experienced boxer.”

Lafrenière, who has a perfect record in his last seven bouts, is not intimidated by his opponent’s experience : “I’ve been lucky enough to train with several talented fighters, including Lucian Bute, David Lemieux, Georges St-Pierre and Eleider Alvarez. I’ve learned a whole lot and I’m ready for this next challenge, which has already created a buzz. On January 30 at Bell Centre, not only will it be personal between Sergey Kovalev and Jean Pascal; it will also be the case for Renan St-Juste and I.”

“We’re aiming to give boxing fans a fight card that will highlight the great talent level our local boxers have. We are therefore working very hard on the undercard, which should be unveiled in full soon,” said InterBox Vice President Pierre Duc.

The grudge match for the unified light heavyweight world championship between Sergey Kovalev and Jean Pascal, a Vidéotron presentation in collaboration with Mise-O-Jeu, will be broadcast live in the United States by HBO as well as on pay-per-view TV in Canada. Tickets are now on sale on the evenko network at www.evenko.ca, at the Bell Centre box office and at Club de boxe Champions in Montreal.

For more information,
visit www.MainEvents.com, www.interbox.ca/en/home, www.KovalevBoxer.com, www.JeanPascalBoxing.com and www.hbo.com/boxing. Follow on Twitter @Main_Events, @KrusherKovalev, @interboxca, @JeanPascalChamp, @HBOBoxing and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MainEventsBoxing, www.facebook.com/interbox, or www.facebook.com/HBOBoxing.

Visit us at Instagram @Main_Events and @HBOBoxing. Use the hashtag #KovalevPascal2 to take part in discussions on Twitter.

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MONTREAL, November 30, 2015 – Although the fight is still two months away, there was already tension between unified light heavyweight title holder Sergey Kovalev and former world champion Jean Pascal at Monday’s press conference held at Bell Centre’s La Cage – Brasserie Sportive. Main Events and InterBox formally announce the rematch for the Unified WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship set to take place on Saturday, January 30 at Bell Centre. The event will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT.

While Pascal (30-3-1, 17 K.-O.), the former WBC, IBO and The Ring light heavyweight world champion, vowed to surprise Kovalev (28-0-1, 25 K.-O.), who is the current WBO and IBF light heavyweight world title holder, as well as the WBA Super World light heavyweight champ, the Canadian boxer also said that he would “teach him respect, and to respect Canadian boxing fans”.

Earlier this year, on March 14 at Montreal’s Bell Centre, Kovalev beat Pascal by TKO in the 8th round. But Pascal’s side said the 35-year-old Quebec-based boxer would make amends this time around.

“Jean Pascal put Sergey Kovalev in trouble in several rounds in the first bout, and I’m convinced he will be even better this time around,” said InterBox President Jean Bédard. “We’re in for a great fight and that’s why it didn’t take much time for HBO to decide to broadcast this rematch.”

Jean Pascal stated, “I put him down in the 8th round in the first fight, but they called it a slip. But I promise you that Kovalev is going to have a full plate in the rematch. I’m going to have a full plate as well, but I have a new trainer (Freddie Roach), I’ve changed things, I’ve improved in ways that Kovalev cannot even imagine. I’m going to break up the party, I’m going to teach him respect, and to respect Canadian boxing fans.”

“I’m not a talker, I’m a fighter,” responded Kovalev. “I’m will make him close his mouth once and for all on January 30.”

“Not many boxers have agreed to step into the ring with Krusher a second time, so Pascal must be respected for showing the guts to do it,” said Egis Klimas, Kovalev’s manager. “So even though I don’t agree with much of what Pascal says, I respect the warrior that he is.”

Tickets go on sale this Friday at 2:00 p.m. ET. Visit www.evenko.ca.

Like the first fight, the rematch will take place on Pascal’s turf and is expect to attract a large crowd at Bell Centre.

“Krusher likes to fight in his opponent’s city because he loves to disappoint the opposing boxer’s fans,” said Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events, Kovalev’s promoter.

Since the first Kovalev-Pascal fight, Kovalev beat Nadjib Mohammedi (37-4-0, 23 KO) by knock-out in the third round on July 25 in Las Vegas, while Pascal beat Yunieski Gonzalez (16-1-0, 12 KO) by unanimous decision in 10 rounds while fighting on the same card.

Pascal said he will leave home for the next two months to prepare in the United States for the January 30 fight. He will spend part of his camp south of the border with Freddie Roach, his new trainer.

“It will be a sacrifice to spend Christmas and New Year’s Day away from my loved ones, but it will be worth it. I’ll be celebrating the New Year with style on February 1st!”

“This time around, preventing Kovalev from going ahead with combinations will be key. That will be part of my game plan,” said Pascal.

“I will give it my all, I will apply all the skills I have and put them into this fight,” said Kovalev.

About Main Events
Main Events was founded in 1978 by the late Dan Duva and is now run by his widow Kathy Duva. As one of the top promotional companies in the world, Main Events has promoted boxing legends Evander Holyfield, Arturo Gatti, Lennox Lewis, Pernell Whitaker and many more. Currently, Main Events promotes WBO, IBF and WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev. Main Events is committed to promoting quality fights that boxing fans want to see.

About InterBox
InterBox, founded in Québec in 1997, and acquired by Groupe Sportscene in 2004, is a boxing organization that is recognized and respected throughout the Quebec province and the world. Its goal is to promote professional boxing, locally and internationally, with talented boxers who are supervised by top-notch trainers and have access to a cutting-edge support staff. InterBox regularly promotes and presents first-rate events in cooperation with such major corporate sponsors as Vidéotron, La Cage – Brasserie sportive and Coors Light.

OFFICIAL HASHTAG:
#KovalevPascal

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There is no rest for the highly motivated and driven. On August 27th Sullivan Barrera (16-0 11 KO’s) will return to the high altitude of Big Bear, Calif. to resume training under the guidance of Abel Sanchez.

Barrera is hoping for a quick return to the ring after his 8 round destruction of Hakim Zoulikha on July 25th at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

On the same card former champion Jean Pascal won a controversial decision over Yuniesky Gonzalez and Barrera still wants revenge for his compatriot.

“I called Pascal out after he got a gift against my boy Yuniesky. He knows he lost that fight. I don’t know why this guy continues to duck me. Is he scared of all Cubans now? Pascal I’m waiting for you papa. Glove up,” said Barrera.

The former Cuban standout is willing to face any top 10 contender but has his sites clearly focused on Pascal.

“Is Pascal going to be a coward and just wait for a Kovalev rematch? No one thought you beat Yuniesky. Fight me to prove you deserve a Kovalev rematch. He already knocked you out so it’s not like that fight is in high demand. You can earn the rematch by winning a real fight. I already said I would go to Canada so man up,” Barrera stated.

This past Saturday night Sullivan Barrera improved his record to 16-0 with 11 knockouts when he stopped Hakim Zoulikha in the 8th round of their fight at the Mandalay Events Center. On the same card, former champion Jean Pascal won a hard fought decision over Yunieksy Gonzalez of Cuba.

Barrera has been looking for a big fight and after taking a short rest, he plans to return to Big Bear and resume training with Abel Sanchez.

“I wanted to fight Pascal and after he beat my countryman I want to fight him even more. I proved once again with my fight against Zoulikha that I will stand and trade and put on a show for the fans. I want Pascal next,” said Barrera.

The 33-year-old Barrera suffered a nasty head butt that required stitches but should be ready to return to the ring before the end of the year. He said that he wants Pascal next and is willing to travel to make the fight happen.

“I have no problem going to Canada. November, December, whenever Pascal is ready to fight I am here to prove I an the best light heavyweight and get the victory for Cuba and all of the Latinos.

“Pascal ducked me once so let’s see if he takes my challenge this time. Let’s do it in Montreal on HBO. I’m not worried about the judges. I am knocking him out,” Barrera stated.

Light heavyweight champ Sergey Kovalev, who has been on the fast track collecting title belts the past two years, makes his Las Vegas debut when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: SERGEY KOVALEV VS. NADJIB MOHAMMEDI AND JEAN PASCAL VS. YUNIESKY GONZALEZ is seen SATURDAY, JULY 25 at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from the Mandalay Bay Events Center, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team of Jim Lampley, Max Kellerman, Bernard Hopkins and Harold Lederman will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: July 26 (9:15 a.m.) and 27 (midnight)

HBO2 playdates: July 26 (4:30 p.m.) and 28 (11:30 p.m.)

In the main event, undefeated Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) of Kopeysk, Russia, now living and training in Los Angeles, defends his crown against intriguing mandatory challenger Nadjib Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs) from France in a 12-round bout. The fast-rising, hard-hitting Kovalev has taken the 175-pound division by storm with a sizzling knockout ratio and a willingness to battle top-tier fighters, even when his opponent has a decided home crowd advantage. In the past two years, he’s decisively beaten Nathan Cleverly, Cedric Agnew, ring legend Bernard Hopkins and Canadian superstar Jean Pascal. One of the sport’s top attractions, thanks to his fan-friendly style, Kovalev enjoyed a banner year in 2014, earning Fighter of the Year honors from a host of boxing news organizations. This bout marks his seventh HBO appearance.

In his U.S. debut last November, Mohammedi scored a stunning first-round knockout of Demetrius Walker on the undercard of Kovalev-Hopkins. He will train for his HBO debut against Kovalev at Big Bear Lake in California.

The opening bout features former light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) of Quebec, Canada, and undefeated Cuban-born Yuniesky Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs) from Miami, Florida in a 175-pound contest scheduled for ten rounds. Pascal, who previously lost by TKO to Kovalev, wants another shot at the light heavyweight title, and defeating Gonzalez should bring him that opportunity. This fight marks Pascal’s first bout outside his home country since 2008 and his fifth HBO appearance.

Gonzalez, who had a successful amateur career in Cuba, aims to disrupt Pascal’s plans with his knockout power, which has stopped his last three opponents before the end of the third round. He’ll be making his HBO debut.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jon Crystal; director, Johnathan Evans.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

Las Vegas, NV: On July 25, 2015 former light heavyweight world champion, Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) will take on undefeated prospect Yuniesky Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs) as the co-feature to the HBO World Championship Boxing telecast of the Sergey Kovalev vs. Nadjib Mohammedi fight live from Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pascal is fresh off his first loss in almost four years and is looking to take on the undefeated Cuban prospect. Below is the scouting report for this exciting match-up:

Category
Jean Pascal
Yuniesky Gonzalez
Age
32
30
Record
29-3-1 (17 KOs)
16-0-0 (12 KOs)
Strength
Pascal possesses good speed and power in both hands; he also has a solid chin and a ton of experience. He has been competing against the division’s top fighters since 2008, which is a list that includes Bernard Hopkins twice and the division’s top light heavyweight, Sergey Kovalev.
Gonzalez has good power and has the ability to distribute punishment throughout his fights. He overwhelms his opponents before finishing them off. He is a very good inside fighter and fights with great confidence too.
Weakness
Pascal has a tendency to tire out late in fights if he does not conserve his energy properly in the earlier rounds. He also tends to get sloppy, which could cause his defense to open up a bit.
Gonzalez lacks adequate experience and has not fought top-level opposition yet. This fight against Pascal will be a major step up in competition and could be a game-changer in his young career.
Experience
Jean will have the advantage here. He has been a part of eight major title fights and holds victories over both Chad Dawson and Lucian Bute. He also currently has more than two-times as many professional bouts (32) as Gonzalez (16).
Gonzalez will be at a disadvantage. He has yet to face any top level opposition, nor has he had even half the amount of professional bouts as Pascal.

Power
Pascal has good power in both hands, especially when he puts his punches together. He has a right hand that can be a game-changer in any fight if he lands it flush.
Yuniesky possesses good power in both hands; he has a left hook that can change the direction of any fight if landed clean.
Speed
Pascal is quick, which becomes more evident in his flurries of punches, which are usually put together when he has his opponent against the ropes and he goes for the finish.
Yuniesky has good hand speed that is put on full display when he finds a weakness in his opponent. He fights very well on the inside, where his punches are fast, short, and crisp.
Endurance
Pascal will have an advantage here as he has gone 12 rounds on eight separate occasions.
Gonzalez’s endurance is still in question, he has yet to go a full 12 rounds and has only gone ten rounds once in his career (in 2012).
Accuracy
Pascal may be at a slight disadvantage in terms of accuracy, he tends to get sloppy at times when unloading flurries of punches.
Gonzalez may have a slight advantage as his accuracy becomes more evident when fighting on the inside. Then he uses his accurate body work in hopes of setting up his left hook upstairs.
Defense
Pascal likes to dictate the pace of the fight, which can mean standing in the center and trading blows. This is a tactic that allows him to take shots and leave openings in his defense that he should avoid.
Yuniesky’s offense might be his best defense. He likes to come forward and walk his opponents down, looking to break them down and finish the fight.
Chin
Pascal has a solid chin and has been in wars with some heavy-handed punchers. However, he was stopped for the first time in his career in his most recent outing against the division’s heaviest hitter, Sergey Kovalev.
Gonzalez’s chin is still yet to be seen; he has finished nine of his 16 fights by the third round. If this fight gets into the later rounds, then his chin may become an issue.
Style
Jean is an aggressive fighter who will not hesitate to stand and trade with anyone if given the opportunity.
Yuniesky is an offensive fighter who likes to move forward at all times; he tries to finish all of his opponents – and finish them early.
Crowd Support
Pascal is a popular name in the sport of boxing, so he will probably have most of the support from the fans in attendance.
Although Yuniesky is an undefeated power puncher, he is still a bit unknown to the boxing world. However, his in-your-face style could win over some of the crowd as he fights Pascal with a very similar and exciting style.
Intangibles
After coming off a tough and hard-fought defeat against the division’s best fighter, Sergey Kovalev, Pascal opted to make a quick turnaround and get right back in the ring. Instead of a tune-up bout, he will test his skills against a young, undefeated power puncher in Yunieski Gonzalez.
Gonzalez has taken a very quiet road to becoming the IBF’s #15 light heavyweight contender. Rather than test his skills against someone deeper in the ranks, he will face a former light heavyweight titleholder, and current top ten ranked light heavyweight, Jean Pascal.
The Match-Up
Is this too big of a stage for Gonzalez to handle in his toughest test to date?
Will Pascal be able to take Gonzalez’s power and speed?
This is the fight where Gonzalez can make a big statement in the light heavyweight division, will he?
Will Pascal be scared to get hit after his last fight with Kovalev?

According to Main Events’ matchmaker Jolene Mizzone who was recently named the NABF Matchmaker of the Year, “If Gonzalez pulls the upset with Pascal he would enter one of the top divisions in boxing as new blood, which would make it very interesting for the entire division. I think any light heavyweight fight that is made is very important in boxing right now because it is a hot division that needs some hungry up-and-coming guys.”

About Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) will compete in his first mandatory title defense against Nadjib “Irondjib” Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs) on Saturday, July 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. The co-feature will include a ten-round light heavyweight match-up between Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) and Yuniesky Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs). Tickets are on sale now and start at $25. Tickets can be purchased through TicketMaster and all MGM Resorts Properties Ticket Offices. The HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits
Sergey Kovalev’s Greatest Hits

Hey Harold!: Kovalev vs. Mohammedi
Hey Harold!: Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

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Former amateur standout Sullivan Barrera (15-0) is in the final stages of his training camp for his July 25th showdown against once beaten Vasily Lepikhin for the USABA light heavyweight strap. The fight will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center under the bright lights of the Las Vegas strip.

Sullivan has tried to land fights against Isaac Chilemba (the only person to beat Lipikhin), Jean Pascal and other top fighters in the division but so far all of his efforts have been rebuffed. He plans on defeating Lepikhin in such a dominating manner that HBO will force some of these top fighters to face him.

“I’m tired of these guys ducking me. The best should fight the best. That’s what made boxing great but none of these guys will fight me. I respect Lepikhin for getting in the ring with me. After I destroy him hopefully HBO and the fans will take notice and demand that these guys fight me. I am ready for any of the top fighters,” Barrera stated.

While proud of his Cuban roots, Barrera wants to make it known that he is a versatile fighter and can adapt to any style to win in dominant fashion. All Barrera needs is for a top 10 contender to accept a fight with him.

“I am Cuban and proud of the Cuban school and with Abel Sanchez in my corner, I have the best of both worlds. I can box. I can bang. I can do it all. I’ve called out all of these guys and and we are ready to make a deal to face them.

“All I need is the opportunity and after I showcase my skills on the 25th, I hope to get my opportunity to face a top opponent. Pascal, Chilemba, Seanie Monaghan and any of the champions are all on my radar. We really pushed hard to get Pascal but he had no interest in fighting me,” said Barrera.

Las Vegas, NV: Main Events, InterBox and Jean Pascal Promotions are proud to announce Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) will face Yunieski Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs) in the ten-round co-feature of the Kovalev-Mohammedi Unified Light Heavyweight World Championship fight on July 25 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. Both fights will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing® beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Pascal, the former WBC Light Heavyweight World Champion, looks to prove he is still a force to be reckoned with in the light heavyweight division by taking on a young undefeated prospect in Gonzalez. This will be his first fight outside his adopted home country of Canada since 2008 and his third fight in seven months. The 32-year old is originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti and currently resides in Laval, Quebec, Canada.

“I’m eager to get back in the ring,” said Pascal. “The years where I have been very active are the ones that I’ve performed the best. Gonzalez is a good fighter and everybody knows I am not content with fighting just a regular fighter. I’m already back in the gym and focusing on July 25.”

Pascal will face a big challenge from his opponent, undefeated Cuban prospect Yunieski Gonzalez. Yunieski has a stellar 75% knockout-to-win ratio and has stopped his last seven opponents in a row dating all the way back to 2012. His previous three fights have not lasted past the third round and two of those were first-round stoppages. The 29-year old is originally from Cuba and now makes his home in Miami, Florida.

“This is the fight I have been waiting for,” said a confident Gonzalez. “I’m not punching at him, I’m punching through him and when I’m done with him he won’t be any good for anyone else.”

Main Events’ CEO, Kathy Duva, is excited to work with Pascal and InterBox again. She said, “Kovalev and Pascal are both true warriors in the sense that they are always willing to face the very best. So putting them on the same card made a lot of sense for us and for the fans who will get to see both of them bring their electricity to the same ring again. With Pascal there is never a dull moment in the ring and, as proof that he never backs away from a challenge, this time he steps up to face a talented, hungry undefeated contender who has the ability to knock out anyone he faces.”

“For his third fight in less than a year for Jean Pascal, this is a great opportunity and challenge for him,” said Jean Bédard, President of InterBox. “Gonzalez had a phenomenal amateur career and his professional career seems to follow the same direction. It’s always a pleasure to work with Kathy Duva and Main Events.”

Greg Leon, CEO of Jean Pascal Promotions, added, “Jean Pascal Promotions is thrilled to be back on HBO for the second time in four months. Yunieski Gonzalez is a talented fighter and a formidable challenge but I have no doubt Jean Pascal will be far too much for him.”

Joe DeGuardia of Star Boxing, Gonzalez’s promoter, said “I am thrilled to be on to such a sensational HBO card filled with light heavyweight bangers. We are very high on Yunieski Gonzalez and this is the kind of fight that he needs to propel him to the top of the light heavyweight division.”

Tickets priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25, not including applicable tax and service fees, are on sale now and are available at all Las Vegas Ticketmaster locations (select Smith’s Food and Drug Centers and Ritmo Latino). To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mandalaybay.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Undercard information will be announced shortly.

About Kovalev vs. Mohammedi

WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (27-0-1, 24 KOs) will compete in his first mandatory title defense against Nadjib “Irondjib” Mohammedi (37-3, 23 KOs) on Saturday, July 25 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. The co-feature will include a ten-round light heavyweight match-up between Jean Pascal (29-3-1, 17 KOs) and Yunieski Gonzalez (16-0, 12 KOs). Tickets are on sale now and start at $25. Tickets can be purchased through TicketMaster and all MGM Resorts Properties Ticket Offices. The HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast begins at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT.

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Sergey Kovalev retained the IBF/WBA/WBO Light Heavyweight titles with an exciting 8th round stoppage over former champion Jean Pascal at Bell Centre in Montreal.

After Pascal landed two hard right hands in round three, Kovalev landed a big left hook that rocked Pascal. At the end of the round, Kovalev landed a huge right that slumped Pascal in between the ropes for a knockdown. It was the first time Pascal has been down as a pro.

In round eight, Kovalev rocked Pascal with a right hand but the two became tangled up and Kovalev tripped to the canvas. While referee Luis Pabon was tending to Kovalev, Pascal wobbled into the corner. When the fight resumed, Kovalev drilled Pascal with two hard right hands and the fight was stopped at 1:03.

Kovalev, 174 1/2 lbs of Russia is now 27-0-1 with 24 knockouts. Pascal, 175 lbs of Montreal is now 29-3-1.

Vyacheslav Glazkov won a controversial unanimous decision over Steve Cunningham in an IBF Heavyweight elimination bout.

Cunningham threw and and landed more punches but somehow the judges saw Glazkov as the winner by scores of 116-112 twice and 115-113.

Glazkov, 219 1/2 lbs of Ukraine is now 20-0-1. Cunningham, 209 1/2 lbs of Philadelphia is now 28-7.

Isaac Chilemba won a 10-round unanimous decision over Vasily Lepikhin in a Light Heavyweight bout.

Chilemba, 175 lbs of South Africa won by scores of 100-90 and 99-91 twice and is now 24-1-1. Lepikhin, 175 lbs of Russia is now 17-1.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada: On Saturday March 14, Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (26-0-1, 23 KOs) will defend his WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Titles against Jean Pascal (29-2-1, 17 KOs) at the Centre Belle in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Kovalev is known for his knockout power, but he is travelling to the lion’s den to face Pascal on his home turf. Pascal, a former world champion, is known for his great chin – he’s never been knocked down. Below is the scouting report for this explosive match-up:

Category
Sergey “The Krusher” Kovalev
Jean Pascal
Age
31
32
Record
26-0-1 (23 KOs)
29-2-1 (17 KOs)
Strength
Kovalev possesses knockout power in both hands; he has the ability to end a fight with any punch he throws. He is able to physically break his opponents down throughout the bout. He cuts the ring off very well.
Pascal is quick when he puts his punches together and has power in both hands. Having never been knocked down, he has a really good chin. He has been competing against the division’s top fighters since 2008, before Sergey even made his pro debut.
Weakness
Kovalev tends to leave openings in his guard allowing himself to be hit. He has been knocked down before but not hurt.
Pascal has only fought two rounds in the last 14 months, which may cause him to experience some ring rust. He has a tendency to tire out late in fights, so he could run into a problem if he does not conserve his energy properly. He has a tendency to let his opponents get into his head. In his second fight with Hopkins, he was noticeably rattled when Bernard started doing push-ups in the ring prior to the seventh round.
Experience
Kovalev may be at a slight disadvantage here since Pascal has fought more top-level opposition.
Pascal has been in seven major title fights, and holds victories over Chad Dawson and Lucian Bute.
Power
Kovalev has unbelievable power in both hands, he throws every punch with bad intentions, and puts together effective combinations.
Although he has power when he puts his punches together, he will be at a disadvantage here when paired up against Kovalev’s power.
Speed
Kovalev has average speed that picks up once he smells blood in the water and goes for the knockout.
Pascal’s speed becomes more noticeable during his flurries of punches; he really turns it on when he knows he has his opponent hurt and can possibly finish the fight.
Endurance
Sergey proved he could go the distance when he went 12 rounds for the first time in his most recent bout against the legendary Bernard Hopkins.
Pascal may have the advantage here as he has gone 12 rounds on eight different occasions.
Accuracy
Sergey demonstrated great accuracy with his one punch knockouts. He also throws very accurate and powerful body shots.
Pascal will be at a disadvantage here. He does not utilize his jab at times and tends to get wild when unloading flurries of punches.
Defense
Sergey’s main focus is his offense; there are times when his offense is so effective that it becomes his best defense.
Pascal does not move around the ring well. He likes to stand in front of his opponents and let his aggressiveness overwhelm them, which sometimes may be his best defense.
Chin
Kovalev has been knocked down twice in his career, but he has risen to the occasion both times and come back with the victory.
Jean has a really good chin and is willing to stand and trade with the division’s best and most powerful punchers. He has never been knocked down.
Style
Kovalev is an offensive fighter who likes to walk his opponents down and go in for the finish.
Pascal is an athletic, aggressive fighter that will not hesitate to go for the finish if given the opportunity.
Intangibles
Rather than take some more time off or settle for a tune-up bout after his title unification win over Bernard Hopkins, Sergey is taking on the division’s number one contender who has never been stopped and that held the light heavyweight crown from 2009-2011. Bernard Hopkins tried in vain to get into Sergey’s head but the Krusher was immune to his head games.
After his last bout ended in a controversial no contest midway into the 2nd round, Pascal has decided to waste no time at all and challenge the division’s scariest puncher and current WBO, WBA, and IBF titleholder Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev.

Crowd Support
Kovalev will be at a disadvantage here since he is fighting in Jean Pascal’s backyard.
Pascal will have an advantage here as he will be fighting in front of his home crowd where he has fought in his previous 11 bouts.
The Match-up
Will Pascal be able to take Kovalev’s power?
Will Kovalev be able to cut off the ring from the awkward Pascal?
Will Pascal’s ring rust be a factor in this fight?
Sergey went 12 rounds for the first time in his career in his last fight against Bernard Hopkins. Will that be a factor in this fight?
Was their scuffle at the final press conference on Wednesday an indication that one of them is winning the mental fight? If so, which one?

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised as part of a live triple header on HBO World Championship Boxing® Saturday, March 14 from the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Centre Bell ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion 514-376-0980. This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

Two of the world’s top light heavyweights face off in a highly anticipated title showdown when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: SERGEY KOVALEV VS. JEAN PASCAL, VYACHESLAV GLAZKOV VS. STEVE CUNNINGHAM AND ISAAC CHILEMBA VS. VASILY LEPIKHIN is seen SATURDAY, MARCH 14 at 9:45 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from the Montréal Bell Centre in Montréal, Canada, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: March 15 (9:30 a.m.) and 16 (midnight)

HBO2 playdate: March 17 (11:00 p.m.)

In the main event, undefeated Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (26-0-1, 23 KOs) of Kopeysk, Russia, now living in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., takes on Jean Pascal (29-2-1, 17 KOs) originally from Port-au-Prince Haiti, now living in Laval, Quebec, Canada in a 12-round light heavyweight title contest. The fast-rising, hard-hitting Kovalev has taken the division by storm with an 85% knockout ratio, and solidified his standing with a 12-round unanimous decision in a title unification bout against future hall of famer Bernard Hopkins last November. One of the sport’s top attractions thanks to his fan-friendly style, Kovalev enjoyed a banner year in 2014, earning fighter of the year honors from a host of boxing news organizations. The fight marks his sixth HBO appearance.

Also known for his rugged style and never-back-down approach, Pascal was last seen on HBO in Jan. 2014 when he defeated Lucian Bute. He’ll draw support from a partisan hometown crowd in this showdown.

In the co-feature, Vyacheslav Glazkov (19-0-1, 12 KOs) from Lugansk, Ukraine, now living in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., takes on Steve Cunningham (28-6, 13 KOs) of Philadelphia in a scheduled 12-round heavyweight title elimination fight. The winner will be a contender for a heavyweight title bout with Wladimir Klitschko.

Glazkov was a 2008 Olympic bronze medalist for Ukraine. Cunningham, a former two-time cruiserweight titleholder, has drawn inspiration from his nine-year-old daughter Kennedy, who has triumphed over a heart defect and survived a heart transplant. Both fighters are making their HBO debuts.

In the opening bout, Isaac Chilemba (23-2-2, 10 KOs), originally from Blantyre, Malawi, now living in Johannesburg, South Africa, takes on undefeated Vasily Lepikhin (17-0, 9 KOs) from Gelendzhik, Russia, in a scheduled 12-round light heavyweight contest. Rising steadily in the ranks of the light heavyweight division, Chilemba has a 4-0-1 record against undefeated opponents. In his third North American appearance, Lepikhin will look to make a major move in the rankings.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Dave Harmon; director, Johnathan Evans.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

###

Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev, WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion
I studied French in school for six years but I remember nothing because I wasn’t interested in this language; my time was spent learning English. It will be big action for Saturday night. I love to be here and I am glad to be here in Canada. I am expecting a lot of fans because I was here in November 2013. Saturday night will be two best boxers of light heavyweight division facing each other. Jean Pascal is tough boxer and Saturday I will see how tough. I am not going say any prediction. This is boxing, anything can happen with a fight. For me this fight is very interesting because it is next step in my career, the next test in my career. For myself I want to prove who I am on this level, in front in this huge arena, in my first time fighting in huge arena like this. I am very happy and waiting for Saturday. Thank you so much.

[On comments by John David Jackson about Jean Pascal] I don’t know because I didn’t read what John said. It is his opinion. It will be me fighting in the ring on Saturday. What John sees is his vision. My vision is mine and may be different. I didn’t watch very many Pascal fights. I understand his style. I only watch a couple rounds of my opponents. I don’t spend much time watching fights of my opponents. If John thinks it is true, I believe him.

Krusher Kovalev
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

[On not fighting in front of his home crowd in Russia] This is a huge arena for me. This is something new for me. I love experiencing something new in my career. I love travelling the world to fight. If my job lets me travel and get victory, then it is good for me. It makes me happy. It is big motivation for me because a lot of people will be watching this fight. I am now responsible for three titles and it pushes me to work harder. I would like to fight in Russia but I don’t know when the opportunity will happen.

[On not taking easier fights] We are Russian, we are ready for anything. We are ready to make good fights. It is interesting fight. If I look for easy opponents, it will not be interesting for anyone. Who is the best right now in this division? We will find this out Saturday.

Jean Pascal
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Jean Pascal, former light heavyweight champion
It will be a great fight. I have 15 trainers because I am a general and I have an army behind me. Kovalev doesn’t like to talk and lets his trainer do the talking. John David Jackson doesn’t have to get in the ring with me. Sergey does. He needs to man up and talk for himself. I am a general. I’m not a follower. I am a wolf, not a sheep.

In hockey, Russian players do well during the regular season and then not do well in the play-offs. So I think that, like those hockey players, Kovalev will not be able to perform the same on Saturday night against me as he has in the past against other fighters. Nobody should take me lightly.

[On comments he made to the press about knocking Sergey out] I said the best scenario is to give the fans 12 good rounds and then try to knock him out in the last 15 seconds of the fight.

I will give 110% on Saturday night but I cannot predict the future. This is like game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals and I am prepared to do whatever it takes to win. I’ve got balls and big ones and you will see them on Saturday night.

Kathy Duva
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events
We are so happy to be here in boxing-crazy Quebec. This fight is exactly what boxing is supposed to be: the two best fighters who are willing to fight each other. That is what this promotion is about: The very best against each other. Jean Bedard and his team have created a market that is the model for other promotions. It is going be hard to go into opposite sides of the ring from Interbox on Saturday night. I want to thank HBO and Peter Nelson for having the vision to see what we saw in Sergey Kovalev. This is exactly the kind of thing that gets me out of bed in the morning. This is going to be an amazing event and I am privileged to be able to watch it live.

I am so relieved that this fight is not going to be between John David Jackson and Jean Pascal’s 15 trainers. It is not about the money for Sergey. It is not about the fact that he had to come here. He wants to make everyone who watches this fight into his fans. I am going to make the prediction that he will do that.

This has been a wonderful experience so far. Thank you to Interbox and thanks Jean Pascal for being a man for taking this fight.

Kovalev and Pascal Face-Off
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Jean Bedard, President of Interbox
I want to thank our friends from HBO who have put their trust in us to deliver a great product. We intend to work with them in the future to bring many more great events to Canada. It has also been a pleasure working with Main Events and Kathy Duva. This sets the stage for what will be exciting times ahead in boxing. Interbox is optimistic about the future. Thanks to Jean Pascal and Sergey Kovalev for making this fight happen.

John David Jackson
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

John David Jackson, Trainer to Sergey Kovalev
It is a pleasure to be here. Thank you for allowing us to be here. I thought I retired from boxing. In this business, this is what we do. There is a lot of hostility from Team Pascal. I said a few things and it got a rise out of Team Pascal, so I did my job. We got under his skin so we did what we needed to do. He needs to back up all his talk on Saturday night.

[On his comments in the press] I am not going to back down on what I said. It is not about me. They have to fight on Saturday night, not me. I am glad they showed the weakness of their mentality. I said what I said and they reacted the way they did so I’m glad.

[On finding sparring partners for Sergey] It is always hard because Sergey is Sergey. In the ring he is all business. We aren’t going to find someone who fights just like Pascal to spar with. That is what boxing is about; a true fighter is going to find what he has to do to be victorious. Sergey is well prepared for Saturday night.

Egis Klimas
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo/Main Events

Egis Klimas, Manager of Sergey Kovalev
What a great city, Montreal. What nice people. It is a big pleasure to be here. I want to thank Interbox. I want to thank Main Events, our promoter, and HBO for bringing us here to Montreal. It is a pleasure to represent Sergey Kovalev. He came in 2009 to the United States. He put his career into my hands. I was 100% trusted by him. We had a long and interesting run to get here. He is proud to have three belts. I want to thank him for putting me in the situation that I am in today. I don’t know who talks but Sergey Kovalev does not like to talk and neither do I. I have big respect for Pascal for taking this fight. He could have taken an easier fight. He is a tough fighter. He is not a puncher. Don’t miss it on Saturday night. Be here or watch on television because it is going to be a great fight.

Marc Ramsay, Jean Pascal’s trainer
On my way to the Centre Bell, someone asked me if I was starting to get nervous. This is why we do what we do; we want to live these challenges. We don’t have the pressure to fight on the road, to defend an undefeated record like Kovalev does. This is a no-lose situation for us. For the last ten weeks we have studied Kovalev. We have a profile of him and I have a lot of respect for Mr. Kovalev. They know how to conduct themselves inside and outside of the ring. I have coached Pascal since he was 14 years old. I lead him to the national team and Olympic Games. I lead him to the world championship. It is easy to take a fighter who is already built up and do something with him. It is a different to work someone from the beginning. Until then, you [points to John David Jackson] should be quiet.

To me Sergey Kovalev is a solid classic boxer. It isn’t hard to analyze him. He is best opponent he have ever faced.

Roy Jones Jr., Jean Pascal’s Assistant Trainer
Thank you. It is an honor and a pleasure to be here. It is always great to be here and back working with HBO. It is a great crew of people here. Boxing is an egotistical sport. It says a lot about Marc [Ramsay] that he reached out to me to assist with Pascal’s training. He is open-minded because he is willing to ask for anything that Jean needs to help get him a victory. I would like to thank everyone for coming out for this. It is so great to see two of the top guys facing each other. That is what we live for. I can’t wait until Saturday night. I look forward to a great fight.

Peter Nelson
Photo Credits: David Spagnolo

Peter Nelson, Vice President of Programming HBO Sports
Thank you. This is a great fight. We couldn’t be more excited and thrilled to be back in Montreal. We want to thank Kathy for bringing Sergey to us. We are a platform which provides the fans the fights that they want to see. Whenever the best fight the best the sport wins. The winner of this fight will benefit from their legacy. These fighters care more about their legacies than their earnings. Sergey Kovalev has proven that over and over again by telling us he will fight anyone. I want to thank Interbox and Main Events. We look forward to a tremendous fight on Saturday. Also Glazkov vs. Cunningham and Chilemba vs. Lepikhin are two incredible fights to make this a tremendous triple header.

Russ Anber, Assistant trainer to Jean Pascal
Kovalev, we welcome you here. We know you are a monster. We know what we are up against. Win or lose Sergey is going to be in the fight of his life on Saturday night. Which also puts Jean in the fight of his life. Sergey may be the most dangerous light heavyweight in the division in years. For both guys this is going to be an early contender for fight of the year. This is going to be the biggest fight ever to be held in this city. That is a fact.

[In response to John David Jackson’s comments] In defense of Marc Ramsay we are small unit of trainers. For someone turn around and try to discredit and be that disrespectful is uncalled for. Sergey understands what it means to develop as a fighter. He knows what that brings to the table. Not everyone is lucky to have a Sergey Kovalev fall in our laps like Jackson was.

Robert Schinke, Pascal’s Sports Psychologist
We are very excited about this fight. We don’t take it lightly. I have worked with Jean since he was 16 years old. In the psychological preparation for this fight, Jean Pascal he needs to be focused. He should not peak Saturday morning. We also needed to understand the opponent in front of us, the athlete and his coaches, their history and patterns. We are fully prepared.

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised as part of a live triple header on HBO World Championship Boxing® Saturday, March 14 from the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Centre Bell ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion 514-376-0980. This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

Joe’s Rants: Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal
Joe’s Rants: Sergey Kovalev vs. Jean Pascal

Isaac Chilemba vs Vasily Lepikhin March 14th HBO
Isaac Chilemba vs Vasily Lepikhin March 14th HBO

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Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Before fans watching live on HBO World Championship Boxing® and at the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada are treated to the light heavyweight showdown between Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev and Jean Pascal, they will get to enjoy the heavyweight battle between Vyacheslav “Czar” Glazkov and Steve “USS” Cunningham for the mandatory position in the IBF. Glazkov is an Olympic Bronze Medalist who is undefeated in his professional career. Cunningham is a former two-time cruiserweight world champion looking to get a title shot in the heavyweight division. Both are technical boxers with great defensive skills who are willing to mix it up. Below is the scouting report for this exciting match-up:

Category
Vyacheslav “The Czar” Glazkov
Steve “USS” Cunningham
Age
30
38
Record
19-0-1 (12 KOs)
28-6 (13 KOs)
Strength
Glazkov is a very active fighter who is consistently in the ring. He has solid defensive skills and a good chin. He physically breaks down his opponents, and he is not afraid to engage with anyone.
Cunningham is a veteran who has much more professional experience than his younger opponent; he is also a former two-time cruiserweight world champion. He is coming off of major wins over hard hitters and undefeated fighters: Amir Mansour and Natu Visinia.
Weakness
“The Czar” has a tendency to be a slow starter, which almost got him into trouble in a close decision win against Derric Rossy.
Steve lacks significant power for a heavyweight; since 2010 he has only recorded two knockout wins, and has only recorded 13 knockouts in his 28 career victories.
Experience
Glazkov had an impressive amateur career, earning a bronze medal in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. His recent and tough wins over veteran Derric Rossy and then-#2 ranked heavyweight contender Tomasz Adamek have helped prepare him well for this big stage.
Cunningham will have the advantage here as he is a former cruiserweight champ and three of his past five fights have been against former or currently ranked heavyweight contenders. (Tomasz Adamek, Tyson Fury and Amir Mansour)
Power
Although he does not possess that one-punch power, Glazkov will have an advantage here. He has the ability to physically break his opponent down throughout the fight.
Although he did record a stoppage win in his previous bout, Steve is not known for his knockout power. He is more of a boxer and will need to be cautious when exchanging punches with the younger and more powerful Glazkov.
Speed
Although Glazkov is a natural heavyweight, he is still somewhat small for the division. He moves around the ring very well.

Steve is small for a heavyweight, which enables him to move around the ring well. He may need to keep a safe distance from the hard-hitting Ukrainian. He also possesses great hand speed and a quick jab that he must utilize to win this fight.
Endurance
Glazkov will be at a slight disadvantage here; he has only been 12 rounds on one occasion. However, he tends to be a slow starter so the additional rounds may help.
Cunningham may have the advantage here as he has gone a full 12 rounds on nine separate occasions during his career.
Accuracy
Glazkov is a very accurate puncher, much like his opponent, he picks his shots well and is a solid technical fighter.
Cunningham is a good technical boxer who picks his shots wisely and does not waste many punches.
Defense
Glazkov is a very effective defensive fighter who does a good job of shielding himself when dealing with his opponent’s onslaught.
Steve moves around the ring well and often, making it difficult for any big heavyweight to cut the ring off and land their significant shots.
Chin
In the past year, Glazkov has shown that he has a solid chin. He took a lot of big shots against Derric Rossy, and was able to weather the storm and box his way to a decision win.
Steve has only been knocked out once in his career by the #4 WBO heavyweight contender Tyson Fury. He was also knocked down twice against Amir Mansour, but he was able to rise to the occasion and defeat the previously ranked heavyweight in what some believe was the fight of the year for 2014.
Style
Glazkov is a defensive-minded fighter who will not hesitate to engage with his opponents if necessary.
Steve is a technical boxer who has no problem trading shots.
Crowd Support
Glazkov has been in big fights throughout the past three years. It is safe to say that he has built a fan base and they may be in attendance for this bout.
Steve may have a slight advantage here; he has never fought in Canada but has been in many big fights during his career and has a fan friendly style.
Intangibles
Glazkov has no problem facing opposition with more experience than him. He could have taken an easier road to a title shot, but instead has been willing to face a long list of veterans and current or former ranked contenders. Cunningham will be his 13th consecutive opponent who is older and more experienced.
Steve will face his third undefeated heavyweight opponent in a row when he squares off against the IBF #2 heavyweight contender Vyacheslav Glazkov.
The Match-up:
Will Steve’s professional experience be too much for Glazkov?
Will Glazkov capitalize on his youth and amateur experience?
They are both fighting for so much outside of the ring. Who will show that come fight night?
This is your typical veteran boxer against the up-and-coming-boxer. Who will come out on top and be the #1 contender in the IBF?

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised as part of a live triple header on HBO World Championship Boxing® Saturday, March 14 from the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Centre Bell ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion 514-376-0980. This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

Vyacheslav

March 5, 2015 – Ring legend Bernard Hopkins, who knows a thing or two about the light heavyweight division, will be ringside on Saturday, March 14 at the Bell Centre in Montreal working as the expert analyst for the HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast. Hopkins will work alongside Jim Lampley, Max Kellerman and Harold Lederman.

The live tripleheader (9:45 p.m. ET/PT) is headlined by the 2015 ring debut of light heavyweight champ Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev defending his title belts against the formidable Jean Pascal. Hopkins has faced both of these elite fighters in the ring. Bernard fought Pascal in Quebec in 2010 and 2011, registering a majority draw and a win. He lost a unanimous decision to Kovalev last November in Atlantic City in one of the year’s most intriguing events.

“We are delighted to have a personality as engaging as Bernard Hopkins filling in on such a terrific and important fight card,” said Rick Bernstein, executive producer, HBO Sports.

The telecast opens up with a light heavyweight bout between Isaac Chilemba and Vasily Lepikhin followed by the evening’s co-feature an important heavyweight tilt between Vyacheslav Glazkov and Steve Cunningham.

Steve “USS” Cunningham
[On his first fight in Montreal] I am excited. This is my first time in Canada. From the Pascal fights I have seen, the fans in Montreal are crazy for boxing. I am excited to go.

[On his first fight on HBO] It is 14 years in the making. I am happy to finally be here.

[On Glazkov] He struggled against Malik Scott and Derric Rossy and they have similar styles. I ain’t worried about none of that though. I need to do what Steve Cunningham does. I come to kick butt. I come to win. I come to walk out of there with my hands raised.

[On the stakes riding on this fight] The stakes for this fight are the ultimate stakes. This is the fight to get to the heavyweight title. This is that fight that gets you there. Every fight I have had has been the most important fight of my career but this fight is on the stage for that #1 spot. This is to get to the champion. This is the biggest fight of my career. This is the biggest fight of a lot of peoples’ careers. I want to capitalize on it. I want to make the best of it. I want to get in there and do what I am supposed to do. I want to get in there and do what I know I can do. I don’t want to be concerned with Glazkov himself I am just focusing on me. This is the upper echelon stakes.

Kennedy and Steve Cunningham
Photo Credits: Dave Torres/Main Events

[On fighting Klitschko or Jennings if he wins] I just need to get in there and handle this business. I can elaborate more on that March 15. Right now Glazkov is the tip of the spear.

I am looking at this fight like it is a cruiserweight fight. Naazim and I had good work. We got in good sparring with good guys that we have worked with before. We have been putting in good work and we are ready for anything. He could come in at 250 [pounds] if he wants or 210 [pounds] and we are ready to go.

I have been the underdog since I started boxing. The main thing to do is keep the faith. When you believe in what you are doing, you love what you do and you work hard at what you do then nobody can stop you. I have always been the underdog, always. I was the underdog for so long so that motivation is just built into me. How many times have I fought in Philly? As a cruiserweight it was only one time. Now I have fought here a few times as a heavyweight. Even as an amateur I never really had that home court advantage, never. That is a kitchen I cook in well. I am used to not being comfortable. I learned to work in uncomfortable situations. I was in the United States Navy for four years. I am ready for hard work. When you can perform in lack of comfort it builds something in you. I have seen guys seen guys break down mentally when they have to fight overseas because they are not in comfortable setting. I could care less about where I fight. We could have a ring on the moon and Steve Cunningham is golden time.

Steve Cunningham and Naazmin Richardson
Photo Credits: Dave Torres/Main Events

A lot of fans want to see you take the throne from the king. I am a boxing fan myself. Before I was a fighter I was a fan. I understand the fans want you to take the crown from the king. I would love to fight Wladimir [Klitschko] because when you are a champion and you are at that level the challenges are what drive you. It is not just money and this and that. A champion wants to put himself up against the best. He wants to see how he fairs against the best. Wladimir Klitschko is the best right now. I would love to challenge him. I have been to camp with Wladimir twice. He and I have a good relationship. We talk all the time. We’ve got the same lawyer. I totally respect him.

We work on putting the weight on. This camp I have been coming in higher than I have in the past. I don’t matter. Whatever weight we come in at, that’s the weight we are fighting at. That’s my mindset. I try to put the weight on but my metabolism is so crazy and I sweat so much I can’t keep it on.

Richardson and Cunningham
Photo Credits: Dave Torres/Main Events

Brother Naazim Richardson, Cunningham’s trainer
[On Glazkov’s Olympic experience] I don’t underestimate Glazkov in any capacity. Even though fighters say it’s not true, but I believe any kid who has been to the Olympics is ready for the big stage. I have been to the Olympics. The Olympics is large. More people watch the Olympics than any world championship fight. I was with my son at the Olympics with Bernard Hopkins, and Bernard had every belt you could have, and I asked my son how the opening game of the Olympics compared to any fight he had ever been to. He said this ain’t even close. I think Glazkov is ready for anything after competing in the Olympics. He is definitely one of the most dangerous athletes, if not the most dangerous, one we have ever faced for that reason. He is a very talented kid.

Steve needs to be the best Steve Cunningham he can be and that will be enough for Glazkov. When Steve is at his best he brings enough to the table to beat him. Steve just turned heavyweight not too long ago yet he is facing his fourth undefeated heavyweight and the third one in a row. Who has done that, including the champion? I feel that had he had more time to acclimate to this weight class he would have put on an even better performance against [Tyson] Fury.

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised as part of a live triple header on HBO World Championship Boxing® Saturday, March 14 from the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Centre Bell ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion 514-376-0980. This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

Greatest Hits: Sergey Kovalev (HBO Boxing)
Greatest Hits: Sergey Kovalev (HBO Boxing)

Road to Kovalev-Pascal (Full Show)
Road to Kovalev-Pascal
(Full Show)

WCB: Kovalev vs. Pascal Preview (HBO Boxing)
WCB: Kovalev vs. Pascal Preview (HBO Boxing)

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Miami, FL: On March 14 Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev (26-0-1, 23 KOs) will compete in his first title defense as Unified WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion against former lineal light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (29-2-1, 17 KOs) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Kovalev completed the first half of his preparations in Big Bear Lake, CA then moved to Miami, FL where he is finishing training camp with his trainer, John David Jackson.

Coming off of his big win against Bernard Hopkins on November 8, some expected Kovalev to take on an easier opponent than Jean Pascal, a former champion who has never been knocked down in his pro career. Sergey, however, does not look for easy fights. He prefers a challenge. When asked what makes Pascal a dangerous opponent, Sergey said, “His power and crazy style of boxing.” Sergey is also excited to return to Quebec, where he knocked out Ismayl Sillakh in his first WBO Light Heavyweight World Championship defense in 2013. He said, “I’m very glad to fight in Canada again because I like Canadian fans and country too. Canada remember me of Russian winter weather.”

Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev
Photo credits: Jose A Pineda/Main Events

This fight against Pascal will be a different test for Kovalev than Hopkins. According to Jackson, “Pascal is more of a herky-jerky type of fighter. Bernard was smoother in his approach. He was also more calculating in his risk. Pascal takes his chances because he punches without really looking at his target. He presents a different problem in the ring but it really isn’t a big problem as long as Sergey sticks to the task at hand. He needs to box him and set traps for Pascal to get caught in. Pascal throws punches with his head down and he is not even looking at his opponent. He is a little more surprising than Bernard; he can throw punches from any angle in hopes of landing that shot to hurt you.”

In the first real test of his championship reign, Krusher pulled off a stellar unanimous decision victory over Bernard “The Alien” Hopkins in Atlantic City in November of 2014 and added the WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship belts to his collection. Although Kovalev dethroned a ring legend, he was very humble about the victory. He said, “My life didn’t change after the Hopkins fight. I just got responsible for defending more titles now!” Sergey refuses to look back, adding, “I already forgot about Hopkins. I have to focus on this fight. It’s already past. Now I need to go forward.”

Photo credits: Jose A Pineda/Main Events

Going forward means providing for his growing family. Shortly before the fight with Hopkins, Sergey’s wife, Natalia, gave birth to their first child, Aleksandr. Sergey was not present at the birth of his son and did not meet him until he returned home after the Hopkins fight. For this training camp, he is separated from his young child again but, according to John David Jackson’s assistant trainer, Derik Santos, “Sergey always says this is a sacrifice, but it is for his family.”

Jackson added, “Now that Sergey is a father I think it is harder for him to be away from his family for training camp. He is a brand new father, this is his first child, and that weighs on him a little bit. He is a professional, however, and he is able to separate his feelings from the task at hand. He knows he needs to concentrate on camp. It may be tough on him but he doesn’t let it show. He just goes about his business of getting ready for this fight.”

Now that he is the unified champion, there are more demands on his time and additional scrutiny, but the Krusher is not fazed. According to John, “Slowly but surely it is beginning to sink in that he is a super star fighter. He is still humble to a degree where a lot of that stuff doesn’t bother him. He is not an attention whore and he doesn’t need all that attention on him like a lot of other fighters would.”

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised as part of a live triple header on HBO World Championship Boxing® Saturday, March 14 from the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Centre Bell ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion 514-376-0980. This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

Greatest Hits: Sergey Kovalev (HBO Boxing)
Greatest Hits: Sergey Kovalev (HBO Boxing)

Road to Kovalev-Pascal (Full Show)
Road to Kovalev-Pascal
(Full Show)

WCB: Kovalev vs. Pascal Preview (HBO Boxing)
WCB: Kovalev vs. Pascal Preview (HBO Boxing)

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Oxnard, CA:
As Vasily “The Professor” Lepikhin (17-0, 9 KOs) prepares to face Isaac “Golden Boy” Chilemba (23-2-2, 10 KOs) for the NABF Light Heavyweight Title on March 14 in the opening bout of the Kovalev-Pascal HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast he cannot help to reflect on his career thus far.

The common misconception is that Lepikhin earned the nickname, “The Professor” while attending university in his hometown of Gelendzhik, Russia. Although he does have two degrees, one in sports (similar to a US degree in athletic training) and one in management, he was coined “The Professor” when he made his professional debut back in 2005 at the age of 19. He explained, “When I had my pro debut in Russia, the promoter of the show thought I was so smart in the ring he said I was a professor of boxing. From that point on I was known professionally as ‘The Professor.'”

Berridge & Lepikhin
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

The undefeated Lepikhin has had a stellar career so far. He has an impressive 53% (9 of 17) knockout-to win ratio with the majority of his fights taking place in his home country of Russia. He made his US debut back in August of 2014 with an impressive fifth round stoppage of Robert Berridge of New Zealand to secure the PABA and WBO Oriental Light Heavyweight Titles. Shortly after the fight Lepikhin and his promoter, German Titov of German Titov Promotions, signed a co-promotional agreement with Main Events.

Lepikhin & Junior
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

In November, he returned to the US to face Brazilian Jackson Junior. Lepikhin appeared to struggle against Junior but still managed to secure the ten-round unanimous decision victory. He explained, “In my last fight I arrived to Pennsylvania and got very sick. I went into the ring sick.”

For this upcoming fight Lepikhin and his camp traveled from Russia to Oxnard, CA on February 21 to finish out the remainder of his training camp in the United States. “I came to Oxnard so I could adjust to the time difference and to get in a little sparring before heading to Canada,” said Vasily.

Igor, Vasily and Andrey Lepikhin
Photo Credits: Rich Graessle/Main Events

For Lepikhin, boxing is a family affair. He is trained by his father, Andrey Lepikhin, the same trainer that also trains fellow Main Events’ stable mate, middleweight Dmitry Mikhaylenko. His brother, Igor Lepikhin, will also work his corner for him on March 14 when he faces Chilemba in Canada. Vasily said, “I love training with my father. I love every single minute of it. It is great for me because I get to work with my family.”

Early in 2015 Lepikhin, Main Events and German Titov Promotions were approached about joining forces with Interbox to co-promote Lepikhin and add a fight between Vasily and Isaac Chilemba to the HBO World Championship Boxing® telecast. Lepikhin said, “I am very excited about fighting on HBO and this new opportunity with Interbox. I am looking forward to showcasing my skills on this large international scale.”

The fight with Chilemba, who is currently ranked #2 in the IBF, will be a ten-round fight for the NABF Light Heavyweight Title. When asked about the fight with Chilemba, Lepikhin said, “I think Chilemba is a very good, experienced fighter. It is going to be a very good bout.” His father/trainer added, “We travelled a long road to get to this point. We are very, very happy to finally be here. We are ready.”

About Kovalev vs. Pascal
Kovalev vs. Pascal is a 12-round fight for the WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles. The fight will be televised as part of a live triple header on HBO World Championship Boxing® Saturday, March 14 from the Centre Bell in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Tickets are on sale now at the Centre Bell ticket office, at www.evenko.ca, by telephone at 1-855-310-2525 or through Club de Boxe Champion 514-376-0980. This event is a co-promotion of Main Events and InterBox, presented by Vidéotron in association with Mise-O-Jeu.

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Feb. 27, 2015 – HBO Boxing presents “Road to Kovalev-Pascal,” a compelling special spotlighting the upcoming light heavyweight championship bout between undefeated knockout artist Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev defending his crown against Canada’s Jean Pascal. Their highly anticipated slugfest takes place Saturday, March 14 at the Bell Centre in Montreal and televised live on HBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®.

The “Road to Kovalev-Pascal” special will premiere tomorrow, Saturday, February 28 at 12:15 a.m. ET/PT on HBO. It will preview the hot 175-pound title showdown between these two ring warriors who are making their 2015 debuts in this high-stakes battle. Kovalev, one of the sport’s top attractions, enjoyed a brilliant 2014 campaign, earning ‘Fighter of the Year” honors from Bleacher Report, USA TODAY, New York Post, Sports Illustrated.com, The RING, SherDog.com and UCNLive.com.

The 15-minute special will also be available on the HBO On Demand® service, HBO GO® and at www.hbo.com/boxing as well as various other new media platforms that distribute the series.

Other HBO playdates: March 3 (11:00 a.m.), 5 (10:00 p.m.), 8 (10:45 a.m.), 9 (3:45 a.m. & 11:45 a.m.), 11 (6:00 p.m. & 10:45 p.m.), 13 (1:15 a.m.) and 14 (10:00 a.m.).

HBO2 playdates: March 1 (12:00 a.m.), 2 (3:30 p.m.), 4 (1:10 a.m. & 5:00 p.m.) 6 (11:10 a.m.), 7 (7:00 p.m.), 10 (1:00 a.m), 13 (10:45 p.m.) and 14 (7:45 p.m.).

All times are ET/PT.

By Norm Frauenheim–

Jean Pascal is called quick for hands that can put punches together in rapid succession. He’s called quick for graceful feet that are a human version of rapid transit. But a quick thinker? Not so much.

At least, Pascal’s sudden-strike agility in hands and feet was not evident in anything he said Tuesday during a conference call with Sergey Kovalev for a HBO-televised bout on March 14 in Montreal.

Maybe Pascal didn’t get the memo. But if Kovalev is vulnerable, this might the time. He’s coming off the November 9th demolition of Bernard Hopkins in a fight significant because it represents a changing of the guard at the top of the light-heavyweight division, if not the sport itself. He is The Ring’s Fighter of the Year. He’s first-time father.

If there’s a chance at upsetting Kovalev, this is the time. Maybe, the unbeaten Russian is distracted or content. That’s doubtful, but it’s a possible hedge, and Pascal needs every one he can find if he hopes to beat Kovalev. Instead, he only managed to eliminate that possibility with cheap trash talk during a conference call last week that was mostly a disagreement about drug testing.

Pascal rattled the lion’s cage.

Pascal, Kovalev promoter Kathy Duva of Main Events said, “is clueless, quite clueless.’’

Duva was expressing her exasperation at Pascal for the reasons he said no to more stringent testing by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association.

VADA has no credibility because it tests only boxers, Pascal said repeatedly during a call gone free-for-all.

“We had been approached by the Pascal camp about doing drug testing,’’ said Duva, who argued that Kovalev had the right to dictate the protocol because Kovalev is the defending 175-pound champion. “We agreed to go to the people at VADA. Jean Pascal said he did not agree to VADA. He originally offered to pay for it. He wasn’t going to pay for VADA. We decided that since he didn’t want to pay the lower fee for the much more credible organization, then he must not have been serious about that, so there will be no drug testing.”

Greg Leon, CEO of Jean Pascal Promotions, then stepped into the rhetorical scrum.

“VADA didn’t come into the game until the 11th hour,” Leon said. “I was negotiating with Main Events attorney Patrick English, and we were trying to land in a place that Pascal originally planned on with the protocol he’s had in place since 2013. Out of the two athletes fighting on March 14, only one of them has been tested randomly over 10 times, and that’s Jean Pascal. It’s unfortunate we could not land on a mutual organization, but it is what it is. Main Events shouldn’t be caring what Pascal is spending on a test if he’s willing to pay for all of it.”

According to Leon, Pascal has been tested by the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) for the last two years.

It’s an argument the figures to go on – and on – until opening bell, mostly because Angel “Memo” Heredia is Pascal’s strength-and-conditioning coach. Heredia, who was involved with disgraced track-and-field Olympian Marion Jones, also works for Juan Manuel Marquez, who has never tested positive, yet has been suspected of PED use ever since he knocked out Manny Pacquiao in the fourth fight.

It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if Main Events had in fact said okay to WADA. Maybe, they should have. Heredia in Pascal’s corner, however, guarantees that he’ll have to deal with the suspicions no matter what happens against Kovalev. He could have eliminated them had he said okay to VADA.

Then again, Duva was right. Pascal has been clueless. Pascal, of Montreal, said a victory would make him TBE in Canada. No world on how much rent he had to pay Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the right to use that acronym. Then, Pascal suggested that the fight against Kovalev would play out like the Rocky sequel that takes Balboa to Russia for a fight against Drago. He referred to a 2011 bout in Russia when Roman Simakov lost a seventh-round TKO to Kovalev. Simakov lapsed into a coma. Three days later, he died.

“This fight reminds me of Rocky IV and I think it’s going to be like a remake,” Pascal said. “You have the North American guy versus the Russian. You’ve got the East versus the West. You’ve got Drago, who killed Apollo Creed in the ring. Sergey Kovalev did the same thing, maybe a couple of years ago.

“I am a huge underdog like Rocky was in the movie. The odds I think are about 4-1, but in this movie I’m not going to be Apollo Creed. I’m going to be the Black Balboa.”

Yo, Jean. Wake up. Kovalev has already faced the best trash-talker in the business. Word-for-word, nobody rivals Hopkins. Kovalev never blinked. There’s a lesson there, but Pascal missed it, because he was too busy with talk that has turned him into a target.