Lucian Bute vs Jean Pascal reportedly done for May 25

Lucian Bute and Jean Pascal are set to meet on May 25, according to a report at BoxingScene.com, with HBO carrying the fight and pairing it with a tape-delayed airing of the rematch between Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler.

Though Bute-Pascal isn't the level of event it might have been had they both met holding world titles a couple of years ago, it's still going to be a massive event in Montreal, pitting the two biggest draws in Canadian boxing at Olympic Stadium.

Bute will move up to the light heavyweight division for the fight, which could be a long-term career move, or could be a one-off for a major money fight. Bute had the right to face Froch in a contractually obligated rematch for the IBF super middleweight belt, but passed on that for the time being, freeing Froch to face Kessler.

Pascal was negotiating for a rematch with WBC titlist Chad Dawson on May 25, but once the Bute fight became an option, with promoters at GYM and Interbox open to making it happen, there was really no question about the bigger fight for Pascal.