Jean Pascal, Bernard Hopkins Agree in Principal to Fight

Golden Boy Promotions CEO, Richard Schaefer first told FanHouse on Aug. 27 that he was working on a deal to match WBC light heavyweight (175 pounds) champion Jean Pascal of Canada with 45-year-old ex-titlist, Bernard Hopkins (pictured above, at right), on Dec. 18, and now, that deal is even closer to being completed.

The 27-year-old Pascal (26-1, 16 knockouts) and Hopkins (51-5-1, 32 KOs) could meeet before Pascal's home turf fans likely at the Pepsie Colesium in Quebec City, Canada, said Pascal's promoter, Yvon Michel.

"We have an agreement in principal. I spoke to Richard Schaefer last Saturday. The major deal points are okay on both sides. Now I'm looking to receive from Richard a written proposal, a written agreement. He's supposed to have his lawyer to draft it and to send it to us," said Michel.

"And if it conforms to what we have agreed upon, then I'll sit down with Jean Pascal, finalize that with him, and we'll go forward," said Michel. "The fight would potentially be in Quebec City at the Pepsi Colesium. We haven't yet spoken to the people over there, but Quebec City is a very, very good city for a happening, and this would be a huge happening. So now, the leading place is Quebec City."



Pascal is coming off of an HBO-televised, Aug. 14, victory over previously unbeaten southpaw WBC interim titlist Chad Dawson (29-1, 17 KOs), of New Haven, Conn., by 11th-round, technical unanimous decision before Pascal's screaming fans at Bell Centre in Motreal, Quebec, Canada.

Pascal has won five straight fights since losing a unanimous decision to England's Carl Froch (26-1, 20 KOs) in December of 2008 for the WBC's vacant super middleweight (168 pounds) crown, including four consecutive bouts at Bell Centre.

On national television while still in the ring after the fight with Dawson, Pascal called out Hopkins, of Philadelphia, as well as Romanian-born southpaw fellow Canadian, and IBF super middleweight king Lucian Bute (26-0, 21 knockouts), who was ringside, and 38-year-old ex-champion Joe Calzaghe (46-0, 32 KOs) of Wales.

On Aug. 23, Schaefer told FanHouse that Hopkins was willing and ready for Pascal.

"Pascal called out Bernard Hopkins and I talked to Bernard and Bernard will be glad to oblige and is accepting the challenge. So, I have had a couple of conversations with Don Majewski, the agent for Jean Pascal and so I said, 'Look Bernard is ready, willing and able,'" said Schaefer.

"It's a matter of just packing the bags, and we're ready to travel and go to Canada. Bernard is ready to show it to a young guy again," said Schaefer. "They call Jean Pascal the king of the light heavweights because he beat Chad Dawson, but I think the king of the light heavyweights is Bernard Hopkins, and he's ready and willing and able to go."

During an Aug. 24 Q&A with FanHouse, Pascal reiterated his desire to face Hopkins.

"Bernard Hopkins, I would love to fight Bernard Hopkins. He has a lot of experience, he's a legend, and he has a big name, and he has good skills. That would be another great challenge for me," said Pascal.

"I just want to prove to myself that I deserve to be in the ring with a guy like that, and that I belong with the elite fighters in the world," said Pascal. "Not only in my division, but among the best fighters, pound-for-pound."

Last week, Schaefer told FanHouse that talks for the bout were progressing well.

"Actually, I had a very good conversation with Pascal's promoter,Yvon Michel. And, you know, I have to say that things are looking pretty good," said Schaefer. "We actually talked and we'll talk again. One date that was mentioned because of the availability in Candada was Dec. 18."

Hopkins has won three straight fights since losing to Calzaghe by disputed, split-decision in April, 2008, with his most recent victory being April's lopsided, unanimous decision over 41-year-old, Roy Jones (54-7, 40 KOs), which avenged a May, 1993 setback to Jones.

Hopkins earned the middleweight crown on April 29, 1995, with a seventh-round knockout of Segundo Mercado in a rematch of their controversial draw four months earlier.

Hopkins made a division record 20 title defenses before losing to Jermain Taylor by a split decision in July of 2005.

Hopkins' title run included wins over nine world champions, with seven of those being knockouts of titlists Felix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya, Robert Allen, Simon Brown, Glenn Johnson, John David Jackson and Carl Daniels.

After losing his undisputed middleweight champion status to Taylor, Hopkins rose to light heavyweight and routed former world champ Antonio Tarver, 118-109, on all three judges' cards.

Hopkins was the perceived underdog in the victories over previously undefeated, Trinidad, in September of 2001, Tarver, in June of 2006, and, most recently, against Kelly Pavlik in October of 2008.

Hopkins stopped Trinidad in the 12th round, and dominated Pavlik and former world champ, Winky Wright, the latter, in July of 2007.