By Ryan Burton
 
At their recent convention in Las Vegas, the WBC ordered an immediate rematch between Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson.  Their October fight ended in the 2nd round after Hopkins was thrown to the ground and was unable to continue due to an injured shoulder.  The fight bombed both at the box office and sold less than 50,000 pay-per-view buys.
 
BoxingScene.com caught up with former WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal to get his opinion on the ruling.

"That was the right thing to do because the last fight was a no contest so they had no choice but to do that.  May the best man win (the rematch)," Pascal told BoxingScene.com
 
 "I don't have a lot to say because the fight only lasted two rounds.  It was too early to say that Dawson would have won because we know that Hopkins starts to pick it up after the fifth round.  Hopkins has a lot of experience. Was he faking or not?  Only God knows.  We have to give him the benefit of the doubt.  He is 46 years old.  He is an old man."
 
Pascal has been in the ring with both Hopkins and Dawson.  In 2010 he defeated Dawson via technical decision in August and battled Hopkins to a controversial draw in December.   In his rematch with Hopkins this past May, Pascal dropped a close decision.  The fighter of Haitian descent wouldn't predict a winner should a rematch between Hopkins and Dawson take place.  He did however say that he wants to face the winner.
 
"That is going to be a technical fight. I want to fight the winner of the rematch," stated Pascal.  "I want my title back.  Hopkins beat me once but it was a close fight.  In the first fight they gave me a draw and I thought I won so I don't understand that.  I am not like Hopkins.  I am not going to cry like a baby.  I am a grown man.  I am going back to the gym and will be working harder."
 
The loss to Hopkins was Pascal's only fight in 2011.  The Quebec, Canada based fighter finished our conversation by saying that he hopes to be back in the ring soon.
 
"It is hard to make fights.  As you know boxing is a business.  I am still waiting and training and staying in shape so I will be ready.  I hope to be back in the ring early next year," Pascal told Boxingscene.com
 
Send questions or comments to ringsidewriter@gmail.com Follow Ryan on Twitter @ringsidewriter and tune in to The Boxing Lab, Boxingscene's official audio on Tuesdays. The show is hosted by Ernie Gabion, Luis Sandoval and Ryan Burton

Tags: Jean Pascal