Jean Pascal has not said his last word. More than 16 months after his last fight, the double world champion will return to the ring on July 20, for a fight against Terry Osias.
Pascal announced his return on Thursday, on the sidelines of the Canadian Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Now 41, Pascal (36-7-1, 20 KOs) is abandoning the idea of becoming champion again at light heavyweight (175 pounds) to move up to light heavyweight, at 199 pounds.
“I want to be champion in a second weight division,” Pascal told The Canadian Press on Thursday. Osias has been challenging me for over a year. I am proud ; that means my name still resonates. »
Pascal also ensures that he meets a need for Quebec boxing fans.
“I went to a CF (Montreal) game recently and people were asking me: “Jean, when are you coming back?” or asked me to make one last fight in Montreal, so that they could salute my career. »
Facing Osias (13-0, 6 KOs), a minor belt would be at stake –– rumors suggest that it would be the Silver or International belt of the World Boxing Council (WBC) – and the winner would be guaranteed to see his name in the top 15 in the world.
Badou Jack, who Pascal defeated at light heavyweight, is the current WBC champion at 199 pounds. Gilberto Ramirez holds the World Boxing Association (WBA) belt, while Chris Billam-Smith is the World Boxing Organization (WBO) champion. The International Boxing Federation (IBF) title is currently vacant.
“I’ve never been an IBF champion, so it might be good,” Pascal noted. But we’re going to take the quickest route to a world championship fight. »
Pascal became the WBC light heavyweight world champion for the first time in June 2009, when he defeated Adrian Diaconu by unanimous decision in a packed Bell Center, while Quebec boxing was experiencing its golden age. He defended this title twice in the same year, before adding the International Boxing Organization (IBO) belt against Chad Dawson in 2010.
After losing his titles in 2011 to Bernard Hopkins, he became champion again in 2019, first with the WBA interim title, against Marcus Browne. He then won the official WBA title in his next fight, against Jack.
In 2021, however, Pascal was suspended for six months for doping and was stripped of his belt. In his last outing, against the German Michael Eifert in an eliminatory fight for the IBF title held by Artur Beterbiev, Pascal was not a shadow of himself, being dominated by his young opponent from start to finish.
He admitted wanting to forget this performance with this return to the ring.
“Against Eifert, I was really weakened by the weight cut. At my age, 175 pounds is over,” Pascal noted.
Exactly: what pushes Pascal to get back into the ring at 41, after a career that should open the doors to the Boxing Hall of Fame?
“I still have a taste for surpassing myself and I don’t want to have any regrets at 50. Telling myself: “So I should have…” I still have gas. Bernard Hopkins boxed until he was 46, others pushed into their 40s. I still have two or three years left,” he said.
“Also, I wouldn’t say that Quebec boxing is sick, but it is experiencing a low point,” added the man who led the good years of the sport alongside Lucian Bute. If I can help him get back on track, so much the better. My nephew Brandon Poulard will make his professional debut on July 20th. So I’m preparing for the future at the same time. »
Promoter Yan Pellerin and his group, New Era Promotions, are behind the July 20 party. Pascal, however, is not associated with any promoter. Greg Leon and Lou DiBella advise him.