Jean Pascal Declines WBC Light Heavyweight Tournament

by Scott Christ on Jul 29, 2011 2:02 PM EDT in Boxing News Analysis

Jean Pascal sees no reason to participate in a WBC tournament. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

One week ago, the WBC ordered what looked on paper to be an interesting four-man light heavyweight tournament that would have matched former champ Jean Pascal with Zsolt Erdei, and prospect Ismayl Sillakh with Chris Henry. But while the idea seemed to appeal to boxing fans, it does not appeal to Jean Pascal, reports Rick Reeno:

"That's a nice tournament, and I thank the WBC for putting together a nice thing, but I think that I'm going to choose another option... To fight twice to become the mandatory to my ex-title, that makes no sense to me."

Pascal (26-2-1, 16 KO) is coming off of a decision loss to Bernard Hopkins on May 21, in a fight that made Hopkins the oldest champion or titlist in boxing history at age 46. He does hope he can still fight Erdei (33-0, 18 KO), the Hungarian fighter now promoted by Lou DiBella. Epix has been reported to have interest in airing that fight, which if it happens will come on December 17, when Pascal is due to return to the ring.

Really, it's hard to blame Pascal for not doing the tournament. He does have other good options, and is too good of a draw in Quebec, and has TV network interest both in Canada and the United States. He's not struggling to get himself out there like Chris Henry or Erdei, or hoping for a big network debut like Sillakh. If he fights Erdei anyway, as he was expected to before the WBC announced their tournament plans, then I don't see any major loss. Sillakh vs Henry still sounds like a good fight, too. It's committing to two fights that causes hesitation, and another sign that the Super Six -- which I'm wagering is going to be the only one of its kind -- was such a miracle even getting made in the first place.

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I don’t know. I think 4 man tournaments like this are more viable. The bantamweight one has gone pretty smoothly, produced good fights, and earned fan acclaim. It takes the right combination of fighters, though, and no prima donnas in the mix. I think Pascal should have done it and negotiated for fights in Montreal. Winning a tournament like this would have done great things for his name.

Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"

by Matt Miller on Jul 29, 2011 2:31 PM EDT reply actions

bantamweight tourney has gone smoothly, the postponement of the championship fight notwithstanding ;)

anyone who has followed some of those super six threads knows that i am a big proponent of tourneys. getting the best (or near best) to fight each other in any division is worth the inevitable headaches.

maybe if showtime or hbo put some weight behind it. if they expressed, for example, that the only light heavyweight fights on hbo for the next 6 months will be these tourney fights, maybe they could get more fighters and promoters to buy into it? and if they were able to guarantee the fighters that a loss would not exclude them from being on hbo in the future?

but i may have opened up a can of worms with the guarantee of future fights, see alexander-bradley for a bad example of this…

by jake_ash on Jul 29, 2011 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I can't say i blame Pascal either

He’s had a lot of tough fights. In the space of 3 years and 8 fights he has taken on Bernard Hopkins twice, Carl Froch, Chad Dawson and Adrian Diaconu twice, and also fought through an injury in one of those fights.
Fighting Hopkins just once is enough to reck some fighters.

by Matt Mosley on Jul 29, 2011 3:11 PM EDT reply actions