Dan Rafael
Whether former light heavyweight champ Jean Pascal takes a Sept. 28 tuneup fight or not -- and the issue is still under discussion -- the date for his rescheduled all-Montreal showdown with former middleweight titlist Lucian Bute is set for Jan. 18.
"Jan. 18 for Pascal-Bute is cast in stone and everybody is on board -- the fighters, HBO and the Bell Centre [in Montreal] is reserved," Yvon Michel, Pascal's promoter, told ESPN.com.
Pascal-Bute was originally scheduled for May 25 at the Bell Centre, where both fighters are major draws. However, Bute suffered a significant hand injury that required surgery and the fight was postponed.
Because Pascal (27-2-1, 16 KOs) will have gone 13 months between fights if he waits until January to face Bute (31-1, 24 KOs), he might fight Sept. 28 at the Bell Centre on the undercard of light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson's first defense against Tavoris Cloud. Bute is also in the midst of a long layoff, and will have gone 14 months by the time he meets Pascal in January.
"We still not have made a decision regarding Pascal [fighting on Sept. 28]," Michel said. "We are evaluating what will be the best for Pascal. The main goal is to bring Pascal to the top condition for the Bute fight scheduled for January 18."
Michel said a final decision will be made early this week.
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