Boxing In Canada: The Dynasty – Jean Pascal vs. Bernard Hopkins

The title of the fight is Dynasty because as Yvon Michel, Jean Pascal’s promoter and President of Groupe Yvon Michel said: “This is about creating a new one [dynasty] for Jean Pascal or continuing one for Bernard Hopkins.

Once in a while, there’s a fight that comes along that captures our imagination. These fights usually involve a young contender against an older champion. This time, however; it’s a young champion against an old contender.

Jean Pascal is a hungry young competitor who wants to prove he is the real deal. Pascal will have to use his heart and his entire skill set to go up against the legend that is Bernard Hopkins.

It’s a fight that has generated lots of interest and speculation, but most of all it has generated lots of excitement.

Jean Pascal

Earlier this year, Pascal took on the up-and-coming fighter, Chad Dawson. The fight was stopped after an unintentional head-butt opened up a huge cut above Dawson’s left eye. When the fight was over, the media questioned Pascal’s victory and inferred that the Montreal fighter was lucky to escape with his title.

In a press conference, Yvon Michel told reporters that his fighter is in fact the real deal and that there would be no one questioning his talent following a victory against Bernard Hopkins.

According to Michel, “this fight should make Pascal a lock for fighter of the year.” If what Michel says holds true, it would be an impressive accomplishment considering that only once before in the history of the sport has a Canadian been named fighter of the year.

The verdict is still out on Pascal who could very well become one of the best of pound-for-pound fighters of all time or he could fade away. His record so far stands at 26 wins, 1 loss and 16 knockouts.

The problem that faces Pascal is that his ambition might not go hand in hand with his ability in the ring. He is a great prospect and his possibilities are endless but he’s shown to be vulnerable against power sluggers. He still has a lot to prove and this is his chance to establish himself as a real champion in the light heavyweight division.

Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins

Hopkins stated that his primary reason for taking on this fight is to regain the prestigious Ring Magazine title which he held from 2002 to 2005 (Middleweight title) and then from 2006 to 2008 (Light Heavyweight title). In his last fight, Hopkins won by decision against a diminished Roy Jones Jr.

Although Hopkins was victorious, he left purists wondering if the fighter from North Philadelphia was on the decline. He looked blind for several rounds and had trouble keeping up with a lacklustre opponent. This is the first time that Hopkins will be fighting outside the United States. “It’s going to be a challenge but Hopkins can deal with it, he’s a veteran,” said Hopkins’ trainer, Naazim Richardson.

Hopkins is at his best now when he doesn’t have to do the work and forces his opponent to make the fight. The low shots, the faking of being hit low are all traits that Hopkins uses to distract his opponents. Hopkins might end up looking really old. However, he could try to maul and wrestle Pascal on the inside for long periods of time.

Should Hopkins be successful and defeat Pascal, he could potentially make $20 million by taking on the winner of the Super Six tournament fight next year. According to Chris Mannix at Sportsillustrated.cnn.com, Hopkins says “There is potentially $20 million on the table… The money that is out there, with me being one of the oldest fighters in the world, there are major fights on the table.”

Oscar “The Promoter” De La Hoya

Upon his arrival to Montreal, De La Hoya mesmerized the local media who hung at his every word. When asked about the fight, this is what the Golden Boy had to say:

“Styles make fights. When Hopkins fought Roy Jones Jr. it was a terrible style for him because Jones is a difficult, crafty boxer who is not going to make you look good. But when you have a fighter like Jean Pascal, who is going to attack and throw every punch with full force, Hopkins will be able to use his experience and be crafty inside the ring. It’s going to be interesting… Can the young lion beat the veteran?”

When asked what De La Hoya thinks of Jean Pascal, he answered: “I like and respect Jean Pascal very much. He is an exciting young champion.” Should Pascal be able to defeat Hopkins, it would not be a surprise to see Pascal sign with Golden Boy in the near future. De La Hoya was an astute fighter and now he’s an astute business man who recognizes the potential of Pascal.

The Fight

Bernard Hopkins will be looking to prolong history while Jean Pascal will be looking to make history. Both fighters’ need this fight and they both have their legacies at stake. Hopkins wants to retire as a champion while Pascal wants to create a hall-of-fame career. With all on the line, these two fighters will give the boxing world an exciting and memorable fight. A fight that will be remembered as a turning point in their careers and a fight we will not soon forget.

However, at this stage in his career, I believe Hopkins can only beat fighters who will come in straight and are economical with their punch output. Hopkins can outsmart such fighters but busy fighters like Jean Pascal will be almost impossible for Hopkins to handle.