Bernard Hopkins Vs Jean Pascal: The Test Don't Matter Now, the Long Awaited Rematch is Here
By Samaarah Choubak
On March 28th, Jean Pascal flew into New York for the press conference to be sat alongside Bernard “The Executioner” Hopkins. The drama became an epic moment as tensions ran high about the blood test query and they faced each other just a week before on HBO Boxing with Max Kellerman.
Pascal said he was cool with the draw and respected the decision of the judges, even though Hopkins suffered two knockdowns in the fight. He seemed to think that he won and now the rematch is here in less than 48 hours.
Hopkins said to Pascal “I guarantee that you won’t be able to do this and you don’t have it in you, you’re a 4 round fighter.” Pascal responded by saying “I guarantee you this, old man, it is over!” The HBO face off with Max Kellerman did not end in a sportsmanly fashion without a handshake!
Well Hopkins is 46 years of age and old he is indeed. However, he is challenging Pascal for the WBC Light Heavyweight title. If he wins, he will be the oldest man ever to win a boxing title and he really does want people to remember him in a 100 years time and wants this fight to go down in history books well. He very much likes torturing and taunting Pascal, a much younger man with a soft character, and wants to make him quit and punish him in the ring. Pascal does have great stamina to fight the twelve rounds with a lot of enthusiasm. We will expect a showdown and possible flash knockdowns by Pascal. Well, that’s the expectation.
Talk is cheap so they tell us, and it’s not only Hopkins that’s been talking, Pascal has also been very outspoken, especially about the subject that has been looming about the possible steroid taking. There has been lots of skepticism surrounding the issue of a 46 year old performing so well, if he is not taking steroids. Prior to the first fight, Pascal didn’t voice a single opinion or suspicion about steroids.
Instead of the press conference ending on a handshake, it ended in drama, which turned to a scuffle. These men need to get in the ring and they haven’t got long to wait now. It did push Pascal into distraction for a time, however he’s been training in Miami, talking to his fans on Twitter, and running a competition for fans to win tickets, extremely fan friendly I would say and a lot of people do admire that him with his French accent, flair and finesse and of course, his own style and manner he has when he goes to fight.
I would say a successful young man, he does keep it professional as much as possible. However, I would say Hopkins is very provoking, judging from the scenes from the first press conference. He just couldn’t help himself making a snatch of the belt. These scenes of people of both camps and all the officials getting hot headed surely show that sometimes boxers can’t stay calm. They want to have something so bad and now the rematch will show who wants it more: Old man Hopkins or suave Pascal?
Tomorrow is the weigh in and Pascal says he almost at weight. We saw just a few hours ago, he was very calm and relaxed, chilling with his friend Phil Lo Greco, who said that Pascal inspires him. He says that Pascal wants to prove that he wants to be the best in the world.
Pascal said it’s not that he’s going to win but “how” he’s going to win. He said that “It’s going to be a tough fight” and he’s going to “win with his supporters there behind him.” He also gave advice for young hungry fighters who want to make it in the boxing scene and he said that: “My best advice is belief and fate and if you work hard and if you keep great discipline and if you have determination there’s no limit there.”
This is a difficult one to analyze.
I’m looking forward to a fight where Pascal would win the early rounds easily, and Hopkins will be pushing himself to the limit. It’s going to be a very close one again and Hopkins needs to keep it tight this time.
If he doesn’t want to suffer any knockdowns from the fists of Pascal, I say UD for Pascal, so watch out for old man B-Hop, who will be hopping into the ring with an amazing entrance, which is renowned for with some outfit and ringside entry we would never imagine. Being artistic and domineering will be the key for him and whether he can continue that to the ring on Saturday will soon be revealed!
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