by David P. Greisman
Former light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal was in New York City this past weekend to see the rematch between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito. BoxingScene.com caught up with him during the pre-fight festivities.
BoxingScene.com: What are you doing with your career right now? What’s next?
Pascal: “Right now I’m still training. I’m still in the gym. I’m just getting ready for whatever, you know?”
BoxingScene.com: Are there certain fighters that you want?
Pascal: “I want the best. I want the best. I won’t duck anyone. I want to challenge myself. I want to prove to the world that I’m one of the best. To me, I’m the best, so I want to show you guys I’m the best.”
BoxingScene.com: By the best, are you talking Chad Dawson again? Bernard Hopkins?
Pascal: “The big names. Dawson. Hopkins. Cloud. Bute. Erdei. Any one of them.”
BoxingScene.com: You know that Erdei is out of his fight with Cloud on Dec. 31. Would you be able to step in and fight in that fight?
Pascal: “Like I said, I’m in the gym. But I tried three times to make a fight with Cloud. That was hard, you know? He has a rough promoter.”
BoxingScene.com: What are you walking around at right now?
Pascal: “Right now I’m probably about 187, so I’m not that high.”
BoxingScene.com: What do you think is the obstacle keeping you from getting a big fight?
Pascal: “Honestly, I don’t know. Hopkins is out. Dawson, I don’t know what he’s doing. Cloud, it’s really hard to deal with him because of his promoter. Bute doesn’t want to fight me right now. So I don’t know, man.”
BoxingScene.com: You’d think it’d be easy, considering all the money you could make them if they fought in Montreal or Quebec City.
Pascal: “Yeah, but sometimes money can’t buy everything.”
BoxingScene.com: Would you be willing to travel anywhere else?
Pascal: “Like I said, I’ll fight anyone, anytime, anywhere.”
BoxingScene.com: What did you think of the Hopkins-Dawson fight?
Pascal: “Honestly, I don’t really have much to say about it, because the fight lasted two rounds. So you know, people were thinking that Hopkins was faking. But listen, man, you have to give the man the benefit of the doubt. He’s an old man.”
BoxingScene.com: So what do you think would happen if you fought Dawson again?
Pascal: “I’d kick his ass.”
BoxingScene.com: Did you see any improvements in Dawson at all since he fought you?
Pascal: “Honestly, that’s really hard to say because he fought Hopkins only for two rounds.”
BoxingScene.com: And is Hopkins done, or can you never count him out?
Pascal: “Never count him out, because Hopkins is Hopkins, man. He is a legend.”
David P. Greisman is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Follow David on Twitter at twitter.com/fightingwords2 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fightingwordsboxing, or send questions and comments to fightingwords1@gmail.com
