Tavoris Cloud-Jean Pascal Still A Real Possibility For December 17th – Pascal’s Promoter Says No Way Is His Man Scared

By James Slater: For a while now, there have been ongoing negotiations regarding the making of a Tavoris Cloud-Jean Pascal light-heavyweight clash. The bout is in the works for December 17th, with Quebec, Canada being the likely venue. However, as has been revealed on Ringtv.com, Al Bonani, trainer of unbeaten IBF champ Cloud, has expressed concern that Pascal may be reluctant to take the fight.

In another piece on the official web site of The Bible Of Boxing, Yvon Michel, promoter of Pascal, made it clear that in no way is the former light-heavyweight champion of the world scared of Cloud.

“Contrary to what Al Bonani says, Jean Pascal wants to fight Tavoris Cloud,” Michel said. “He’s not afraid of anybody. Although Cloud has a belt around him, he hasn’t got the stature of Jean Pascal. If you look at Pascal’s resume, he has fought much higher quality of opponents than Cloud has.”

It’s true that Pascal has been in with a true great in Bernard Hopkins, and a possible future great in Carl Froch – but Pascal lost to both men (whilst also picking up a controversial draw with B-Hop). To date, the 11th-round TD win he scored over Chad Dawson remains Pascal’s best win. But, though Cloud may not have Pascal’s overall experience, he has earned hugely useful wins himself – over the likes of Glen Johnson, Julio Cesar Gonzalez and Clinton Woods. And 29-year-old Cloud, 23-0(19), as the saying goes, doesn’t know HOW to lose. As physically and mentally strong as he is, the Floridian could well prove to be the returning Pascal’s worst nightmare.

Badly needing a win as he is after those two embarrassing nights with “The Executioner,” 28-year-old Pascal, 26-2-1(16) will deserve many plaudits if he indeed agrees to get it on with someone as tough as Cloud in his return. If this fight does come off, the real winners will be the fans, however.

Both men have an exciting, pleasing style (Pascal’s two encounters with B-Hop aside; due to how Hopkins refused to fight Pascal’s fight), and if matched together the leather would surely fly in a major way. Pascal has already given us one absolute classic, with his points loss to Froch. That fight was sensational, and Pascal-Cloud could turn out to be as good.

Neither guy has ever been stopped, and neither guy is a great pure boxer; both men instead being equipped to rumble. The war would be on on December 17th, that’s for sure.

HBO and the teams of both fighters are in talks: let’s hope the fight is made.