Pascal’s reasons for deciding to train in Miami are clear and he feels that his decision to relocate there for this training camp has benefited him.
“I [went to Miami] to work with the Cubans, because they are champions and if you want to be the best you have to be trained by the best, you have to train with the best” insisted Pascal. “I want to be the best so I decided to [go] down with my team to Miami”.
Solis in particular has been a big help.
“We do technical sparring because he his heavy, over 250 pounds, but it’s been really good for me because he is very smart. He has taught me some good stuff that will help me in my upcoming fight,” added Pascal
Ten days away from the fight, Pascal who walks around at 186-187 lbs, was weighing 184. Weight is an interesting issue going into the fight. The Diaconu fight is an optional defense and is Pascal’s first major fight as a light-heavyweight. However, Pascal insists that his decision to move up to light-heavyweight was not made because he can no longer make the super-middleweight limit of 168 pounds.
“I’ve moved up because I have the opportunity to fight for a world title.”
“Plus I used to walk around at a 185 pounds so to go to 168 it was possible, but it was kind of hard for me, because at 185 pounds my body fat is about 6-percent, when I go down to168 I am at 4-percent of body fat. That was hard but still possible. The main thing is that I saw a great opportunity to win a belt at light-heavyweight and that is why I moved up. I love challenges”.
Pascal has no complaints about how he feels at his new weight.
“Honestly, I feel stronger because I no longer have to drain myself to make the weight so I can train properly, eat properly, drink properly. I think this is going to be a big advantage for me, particularly in terms of energy,” said Pascal
Regarding his speed and power, two of Pascal’s best assets, the challenger is also confident.
“I am a big super middleweight, so its not like I had to gain 10 pounds to move up. I just had to cut less weight to make 175 pounds, so the speed is still there and I am also going to be more powerful.”
Some people have suggested that Diaconu is a rather limited fighter, but Pascal recognizes the challenge in front of him and recognizes his fellow Montrealer’s particular qualities.
“Honestly, Diaconu is a pretty good boxer. He has a very good amateur background. He went to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and he lost to Cuba, but he won two fights over there. He won the bronze and the silver at the amateur world championships. He’s got good technique, to get a silver and a bronze at the world championships you must have good technique. People say that he is slow, but I’m telling you, for a light-heavyweight he is pretty quick.”
“He is pretty quick and pretty strong, but me I am ready for anything on June 19th.
Regarding the outcome to the fight, Pascal is reflective but confident.
“Honestly, I really don’t know because if he is smart I don’t think he will try to rush me the first five rounds. Maybe he will try to box me, but the thing is, if he tries to box me that won’t be a good thing either. I don’t know what he is going to do, but I know what I will see it on June 19th..
The fight, which is being carried on the Versus Network in the US provides Pascal with another opportunity to reach and impress the U.S. audience, something that he is eager to do.
“It’s a big opportunity plus the fight will be on in the U.S. is big [platform] for me to show how good I am. I don’t want to miss this chance, which is why I [was] training three-times per day to be ready able to face this challenge and expose myself as one of the best at super middleweight and light heavyweight.”
Pascal feels that he is prepared to deal with the pressures of the fight, which in addition to being on U.S. and Canadian TV is expected to draw more than 12,000 fans to Montreal’s Bell Center. The boxer feels that the experience of going to Nottingham to fight Froch will benefit him.
“I’m really glad I had that experience because now I am more mature. Plus to fight in
Carl Froch’s backyard brought me stress that I won’t have on June 19 now that I am fighting at home. I’ve fought in front of 10,000 people so I will be ready.
Even if Pascal is successful in claiming the WBC title, his sights are set on activity in the super-middleweight division and on
Carl Froch in particular, who will most likely fight fellow Montrealer IBF Super-middleweight Lucian Bute sometime in the fall.
“It’s a very interesting fight, but I feel that Lucian Bute has too much skill for
Carl Froch. But at the same time I feel that
Carl Froch has too much power for Lucian Bute so that will be a good fight. But if there is a knockout it will be
Carl Froch winning the fight”
The winner of the proposed Bute-Froch unification bout is one that interests Pascal. However, the fight Pascal wants most, win or lose, is a rematch with Froch, a fight that will give him the opportunity to avenge his one and only pro loss.
“Definitely, and I went to his training camp before he fought Jermain Taylor and I said let’s do this in Montreal and he said he’d think about it. I told him it would be an awesome fight in my hometown because we’d pack the Bell Center with 21,000 people.
One thing Pascal also would like to do is to fight alongside fellow Haitian Andre Berto, the WBC welterweight champion, in Montreal and in U.S. cities with large Haitian communities.
“On the 30th of May I went to see Berto’s fight at the Hard Rock. That was really nice, so when I become world champion I will definitely look to fight it New York and Miami.
“It would be really awesome because I have known Berto since I was an amateur. It would be really nice to have him as a headliner with me in Miami or in Montreal for the Haitian fans.
Before that happens, Pascal must first defeat Diaconu and it appears as if the stage has been set for another action packed fight in front of the enthusiastic boxing fans that normally fill the Bell Center, an arena that is quickly becoming one of the major world centers for boxing.
June 16, 2009
Subscribe to feed
