Badou Jack: I never turned down a fight with Bivol

What comes next in the light heavyweight division is playing out in real time, what with Dmitry Bivol having taken care of business in the form of ultra vet Jean Pascal in Atlantic City and on HBO Saturday night.

Folks with open calendar dates are sniffing around Bivol now, and that includes Badou Jack.

The Swedish native, a classy hitter who gets full respect from fans who respect his willingness to embrace stern challenges, not to mention his commitment to charitable acts, could be next for Bivol after the Russian’s 117-111, 119-109, 119-109 win.

Witness this Twitter tussle between Greg Leon, advisor to Jean Pascal, and Jack.

Leon says that the 36-year-old Pascal got the slot versus the WBA 175 “world” champ Bivol only because Jack, rated No. 1 by the WBA, turned it down.

Jack refutes that assertion, and takes a sideways slap at Adonis Stevenson, calling him a nasty name which hearkens back to the days when the Canada resident showed a darker side.

By the way, I reached out to Leon, to see how Pascal was doing the day after.

“Like he just went 12 with the best guy in the division. He’s down but being lifted up by loved ones.”

And will he fight on, or retire?

“He’s sleeping on it,” Leon told me.

Friends, talk to me, play matchmaker. What do you want to see Bivol do next? Wait for the Alvarez-Kovalev sequel winner? Step to the line versus Jack? See if Artur Beterbiev wants to tango?

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