By Eric Thomas: Golden Boy Promotions has reportedly won the purse bid for the rematch between World Boxing Council (WBC) light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal and Bernard Hopkins. Golden Boy Promotions won the bid with a winning bid of $1,911,500. The fight will take place on May 21st, and with Golden Boy winning the bid, it’s likely going to be taking place in the United States rather than Canada you would have to assume.
However, Hopkins doesn’t have have much of a fan base in the U.S. and Pascal is virtually an unknown fighter to the casual fans. This fight might be better off taking place in Canada if GBP wants to ensure that a large of fans come see the fight. I can’t picture this fight drawing more than 3000 fans if it takes place in the U.S. But if they have it take place in Canada, it will easily bring in 10,000 fans.
Hopkins and Pascal fought to a 12 round draw last year in December. Hopkins, 46, felt he should have won but he was knocked down twice in the fight and that pretty much ruined his chances of winning the fight. Rather than having to wait like most fighters do when they fail to beat the champion for a rematch, Hopkins was given an immediate rematch when the WBC stepped in for him and ordered Pascal to fight Hopkins immediately rather than allowing Pascal to fight Chad Dawson, who he had a rematch clause with from their fight last year. Dawson will be fighting on the undercard of the Hopkins-Pascal II fight and is suppose be getting an opportunity to fight the winner of that fight.
Besides the WBC belt being on the line when Hopkins and Pascal fight, the WBC Diamond strap will be up for grabs. It’s unknown if there will be a separate sanctioning fee needed for this trinket or whether it was just thrown in by the WBC in a two for one deal.
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