PASCAL READY TO PUT BOSSE’S BOXING CAREER ON ICE 

What made you decide to unretire to fight Steve Bosse? I went into my last fight wanting to end my career on a high note, by going into the hometown of an undefeated hungry young lion (Ahmed Elbiali) and tearing him apart and that’s just what I did. I was very content with my decision to retire afterwards, but after I got home everywhere I went the fans were asking me to fight again in Quebec, they wanted more. Then I sat down with my team and my family and everybody agreed that I’ve still got plenty left in the tank and I can end my career on an even higher note, with a championship belt around my waist. This fight with Bosse is happening because he was calling me out all over social media and in the papers here, so on Friday night he’s going to get what he was asking for and then we’re going to see what’s next.

Jean Pascal: “I think after I beat Bosse I’m going to have several interesting options, I want to win another championship and the fans know me as somebody who always looks to fight the best, but right now I’m only focused on Bosse because I don’t look impressive and take care of business against him none of my future plans matter. It’s one step at a time and the next step is Bosse.”

JP: “That’s a good fight, but I was Stevenson’s mandatory in 2014 and he flat out ducked me, and then he ducked Eleider Alvarez for years too, so until he’s actually in the ring with a mandatory I won’t believe he’s going to make one. If the fight happens, I’ll be rooting for Gvozdyk because I believe there’s a much better chance of him wanting to fight me than Chickenson.”

JP: “Alvarez is a great fighter so Kovy is going to have to be at his best to beat him. Obviously I’m rooting for Eleider because we’re friends, but Kovalev is a very difficult fight for anybody in the world as he’s shown over his career. I like Bivol in the other fight. Bivol has been looking very good lately, but I’m not sure he’s ready for somebody with as much seasoning as I have.”

JP: “I always look to fight the best, but like I said I’m only thinking Bosse right now. If Bivol is the best option later, we’ll explore that when the time comes because if I don’t take care of Bosse now, there is no later.”

JP: “I don’t know what’s going on with him. I sparred with him a long time ago and I thought for sure that he would be a champion by now. I don’t know if he’s mentally weak or has some physical ailment that nobody knows about, but after he got a gift decision on Shobox vs Kalajzic the level of his opposition has gotten worse and worse. When Sean Monaghan is the toughest guy you’ve fought in the last two years and now you’re only fighting super middleweights, it’s pretty clear that his people are protecing him from something. In this sport you have to be battle tested and he hasn’t been, so whenever it’s time for him to fight a legit top light heavyweight he’s probably going to be in a lot of trouble.”

JP: “Absolutely not.”

JP: “I’m going to put on a show in front of my hometown fans and stop him.”

JP: “Definitely. Going back down isn’t going to be a problem because I don’t plan to come in at 200 pounds, the only real difference between this camp and a light heavyweight fight is I’ve been able to eat more, but I’m doing it smart. I carry my weight well and going back down to light heavyweight won’t be a problem at all.”

JP: “Come out to Place Bell on Friday night to watch a great night of boxing, I will be victorious and I will be impressive!”

Disclosure: Boxingtalk Publisher G. Leon is Jean Pascal’s advisor.