Pascal Handlers Ponder Bolonti Legal Action - Photos Too

By Jake Donovan, photos by Robert Levesque/PhotoZone

The punch that Jean Pascal landed on Roberto Bolonti towards the end of the second round of their clash last weekend nearly resulted in a disqualification loss and thus costing him a lucrative showdown with unbeaten unified light heavyweight titlist Sergey Kovalev in March.

However, the actions of Bolonti’s team during the sequence could considerably cost them in court.

Pascal’s handlers are considering legal action against Bolonti in light of recent video evidence indicating that he was instructed to remain on the canvas in efforts to secure a disqualification win. The fight ended with the Argentine boxer face-first on the canvas, a scenario in which many believed he greatly exaggerated the severity of what became the fight-ending blow.

A video shot from ringside picks up Bolonti’s manager, Oswaldo Rivero screaming at his fighter to remain on the canvas.

“¡No te levantes! (“Don’t get up!”),” Rivero is heard yelling to Bolonti no fewer than four times during the sequence. “Le dijo sentir la venguenza (Let [Pascal] feel the shame).”

Shortly after the bout is officially halted by the referee, Bolonti attempted to pick his head up from the canvas. The moment was met by fury from Rivero, who insists he “stay down, you son of a bitch!”

Prior to the fight, Pascal agreed to terms for a March 14 showdown with Sergey Kovalev in a unified light heavyweight title fight due to air live on HBO from Canada. The former light heavyweight king was easily winning the fight, as Bolonti was hesitant to engage the local favorite at any point.

Pascal was getting the better of the action before the two were caught up in a clinch. The fighters were instructed to break, but Pascal foolishly tried to punch his way out, catching Bolonti on the chin with a right hand. The punch appeared to be more of a poke than a debilitating blow both in real time and through replays, but Bolonti collapsed to the canvas as if a piece of the ceiling fell on his head.

The fight came about after both boxers saw respective bouts on the show fall through. Bolonti was due to face Lucian Bute in the evening’s main event, while Pascal was originally matched with American super middleweight Donovan George.

Bute—whom Pascal easily defeated this past January—withdrew from the show after suffering injuries during training camp last month. George was scratched after failing to comply with terms that called for the Chicagoland boxer to arrive earlier than expected to avoid issues with entering the country, given a felony on his record.

Bolonti was persuaded to still make his way out of Argentina for the show, which aired live on Pay-Per-View in Canada. A move that saved the show, however, has now become the starting point for future courtroom battles. 

Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox