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MONTREAL'S PASCAL TO FACE FROCH FOR VACANT WBC TITLE-
The Canadian Press
MONTREAL - Montreal super-middleweight Jean Pascal will face Carl Froch of Britain for the vacant World Boxing Council title, promoter Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) announced Friday.
The two camps will attempt to negotiate a date, site and purse for the bout, but if no agreement is reached, it will go to a purse bid. The fight is expected to be held in November.
Froch (23-0, 19 knockouts) is the WBC's top-ranked contender, while Pascal (21-0, 14 KOs) is ranked fourth. It will be a first world title attempt for both fighters.
"This could not have come at a better time in my career," Pascal, 25, said in a statement. "My physical condition is perfect and mentally, I'm at peace.
"My only wish is to bring the WBC belt back to Quebec."
The WBC title was held briefly in 2000 by Dave Hilton and then was claimed by another Montreal boxer, Eric Lucas, who was champion from 2001 to 2003.
Pascal said he would prefer to fight at home, but is prepared to go anywhere, including the United States or even 31-year-old Froch's home turf in England.
Froch was originally slated to face No. 2-ranked Jermain Taylor (27-2-1), but the former middleweight king opted instead for a better-paying bout with fellow American Jeff Lacy (24-1), likely in November.
The WBC ruled that the Taylor-Lacy bout would be a title eliminator, with the winner advancing to a title clash with the Pascal-Froch winner.
The super-middleweight division has been in flux since unified champion Joe Calzaghe (45-0) of Wales dropped the WBC and WBA belts to fight as a light heavyweight.
Pascal had an option to fight Karoly Balzsay (19-0) of Hungary for the WBO title, but when Calzaghe decided to hold onto that belt, the Haitian-born Montreal fighter looked for other opportunities.
The GYM stable is without a world champion after Joachim Alcine lost the WBA light middleweight title to Daniel Santos of Puerto Rico via a sixth-round knockout two weeks ago in Montreal.
Rival Montreal promotions company InterBox has IBF super-middleweight champion Lucian Bute and WBC light heavyweight champ Adrian Diaconu. Steve Molitor of Sarnia, Ont., who fights for promoter Orion Sports Management, holds the IBF super-bantamweight title.
The Canadian Press
MONTREAL - Montreal super-middleweight Jean Pascal will face Carl Froch of Britain for the vacant World Boxing Council title, promoter Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) announced Friday.
The two camps will attempt to negotiate a date, site and purse for the bout, but if no agreement is reached, it will go to a purse bid. The fight is expected to be held in November.
Froch (23-0, 19 knockouts) is the WBC's top-ranked contender, while Pascal (21-0, 14 KOs) is ranked fourth. It will be a first world title attempt for both fighters.
"This could not have come at a better time in my career," Pascal, 25, said in a statement. "My physical condition is perfect and mentally, I'm at peace.
"My only wish is to bring the WBC belt back to Quebec."
The WBC title was held briefly in 2000 by Dave Hilton and then was claimed by another Montreal boxer, Eric Lucas, who was champion from 2001 to 2003.
Pascal said he would prefer to fight at home, but is prepared to go anywhere, including the United States or even 31-year-old Froch's home turf in England.
Froch was originally slated to face No. 2-ranked Jermain Taylor (27-2-1), but the former middleweight king opted instead for a better-paying bout with fellow American Jeff Lacy (24-1), likely in November.
The WBC ruled that the Taylor-Lacy bout would be a title eliminator, with the winner advancing to a title clash with the Pascal-Froch winner.
The super-middleweight division has been in flux since unified champion Joe Calzaghe (45-0) of Wales dropped the WBC and WBA belts to fight as a light heavyweight.
Pascal had an option to fight Karoly Balzsay (19-0) of Hungary for the WBO title, but when Calzaghe decided to hold onto that belt, the Haitian-born Montreal fighter looked for other opportunities.
The GYM stable is without a world champion after Joachim Alcine lost the WBA light middleweight title to Daniel Santos of Puerto Rico via a sixth-round knockout two weeks ago in Montreal.
Rival Montreal promotions company InterBox has IBF super-middleweight champion Lucian Bute and WBC light heavyweight champ Adrian Diaconu. Steve Molitor of Sarnia, Ont., who fights for promoter Orion Sports Management, holds the IBF super-bantamweight title.
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