Exactly ten years ago to the day, Jean Pascal met Lucian Bute in a fight that would define the history of boxing in Quebec.
The Laval boxer also returned to this long-awaited duel in an interview with Jean-Charles Lajoie on Thursday.
“It goes by very quickly. It was my friends who made me realize that it was ten years ago today. It's been a decade already. The fight was a lot easier than I thought. I was well prepared. It was the first time I worked with Roy Jones Jr. The motivation was there.”
Pascal largely dominated the fight at the time. He even admits to willingly letting his opponent hit him to create excitement for a possible rematch.
“You know I have showmanship. I knew that if I dominated him unashamedly, people would say the fight was boring. Towards the end of the fight I took a little beating to leave a hint of maybe a rematch.”
BEN PELOSSE/JOURNAL DE MONTRÉAL/AGENCY QMI
Pascal also returned to promotion surrounding the fight. He appeared at the official weigh-in with tape over his mouth.
“Back then people in Quebec said I talked a lot. I told myself that I wouldn't talk and that I would talk in the ring. Right before we went to the weigh-in, Russ had given me a piece of tape. He told me to put it on my lips and it would get people talking and sell tickets. Shortly before the face-to-face interview, I placed the tape over my mouth. It was historic.”
Russ Anber, for his part, was in Jean Pascal's situation in 2014. Ten years later, the TVA Sports analyst admits to only having one regret in the entire story.
“My only disappointment was that the fight didn't happen sooner when both were world champions. We have missed a side of the history of boxing in Quebec and on the world stage. Two Quebecers could have fought for a world title since they were two champions. Unfortunately we couldn't experience that. At least we still managed the fight.”
Watch the segment in question in the video above.