PASCAL VS. HOPKINS PRESS TOUR QUOTES
New York, NY – The whirlwind three-day, four-city, two-country press tour officially announcing “Dynasty: Pascal vs. Hopkins” came to a close today with a press conference at Planet Hollywood in New York City. WBC and Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Champion Jean Pascal and former Two-Division World Champion Bernard Hopkins had choice words for one another as they have since their first stop in Quebec City, Canada on Monday. Below please find what they had to say to each opther and about the fight over the course of the last three days.
JEAN PASCAL
“I am a boxer. I am 27 years old. I have been boxing almost all of my life ever since I was 13. I still have the same team and the same people around me. I have the best corner men. They are like an army.
“Bernard came into my country the last two days and he disrespected me in front of my people. I won’t disrespect him in front of people in his country because my mom taught me to always respect my elders.
“I would like to thank SHOWTIME for getting this fight on their network because when that bell rings it will be ‘show time.’
“I have heard Bernard say that he took Kelly Pavlik and Jermain Taylor to school. You know what Bernard? I went to high school and I went to college and guess what? I was an A+ student.
“Bernard is trying to put the pressure on me. He is saying that he is going to take me to school.
“I have nothing to prove. I have nothing to back it up. He has to back up his legacy.
“Bernard wants to be like me. This man says he has a 20-year-old body. I am going to show the world that he really has a 40-year-old body.
“Come to Quebec city. Come to the fight. We have beautiful women and handsome men…like me.
”I went to high school and I had great grades. I went to college and I have my diploma. You want to teach me – I hope you’ll be a good teacher. What I know about you is you’re dangerous and you’re deadly, but you’re dirty. That’s three Ds, so you failed the class.’
“I don’t see a legend in the ring” I see a piece of meat, and I’m a hungry dog.
“This is my time. I belong with the elite boxers. To be the best in the world, you have to face the best. Bernard Hopkins is a legend.
“Bernard knows what time it is. It’s about time for a new era. I’m the new kid on the block.
“I am looking to leave my teeth marks in Bernard Hopkins. I am a hungry wolf and I need red meat and I am looking forward to destroying and devouring Hopkins.
“Bernard said he was going to school me like he schooled Kelly Pavlik. I went to high school and I didn’t make good grades I made great grades, I went to college and I have a diploma and something I know about Bernard, he’s funny, he’s fast and he’s about to get f***-up so that’s 3 F’s so he failed the class!”
BERNARD HOPKINS
“This is one of the greatest motivations for me. To be in this position all of these years. Many people here have been to a lot of my press conferences. This one is a little different. Why? Because of the situation I am in right now. This is a chance to make another chapter of my career come to fruition.
“In today’s world, good is not good enough. Good is considered second. Second ain’t bad, but it ain’t first.
“The stakes and the bar are set so high that you have to be more than average. You have to get someone to look at you. Boxing has been my life for 23 years as a pro. aWhen I saw Pascal fight Chad Dawson, I thought to myself ‘Pascal is not the best guy in the Light Heavyweight division. I am.’ Then he called my name out as who he wants to fight. I grabbed my cane before I grabbed my teeth and got out of my chair and called Richard and Oscar to say ‘Let’s make this happen.’
“Not only did Pascal say it, but he made it come to fruition. We made it come to fruition. That is why I have respect for him as a man.
“I know how I thought and how I was when I was in my 20’s. I know that mentality. He believes he can beat me or he wouldn’t be here.
“I respect him, but I am going to beat him up. I have been a part of a lot of shenanigans so if I am talking a little nice, don’t get it twisted.
“December 18 you’re going to see a student get schooled and only time will tell.
“If you think age defines whether I win or lose…you’re a fool. Because if you are younger, you are younger, it doesn’t mean you are smarter. It doesn’t mean you are craftier. It means you are more accident prone than me if you are talking to the insurance company.
“I am out there to support not only his country, but myself and my family. I have worked too hard to disgrace my legacy. I am going to show you all what the old new school can do.
“For many people my age, I am that movement that if you do the right things. You can be a Bernard Hopkins in your own world and in your own way.
“If anybody understands life and time somehow finds its way back to you. It’s called ‘coming full circle.’My first title was won on SHOWTIME. The birth of Bernard started on SHOWTIME.
“He’s the King of the Light Heavyweight division… when he looks across the ring, his legs will quiver and his crown will fall because he will be looking at me, the legend, the first ballot Hall-of-Famer, an all-time great.
“You all know me and what I do. I end careers. Well, I may not end them but they never look good again after they fight me. I do that to everyone I fight.
“This is what I do. I defy the odds and I win. This is nothing new to me. I’ve been doing this for twenty years now.
“Listen, Jean Pascal is not Kelly Pavlik and he is not bringing to me what Kelly Pavlik brought to the table. I look at Pascal as the king of the light-heavies and I will come to claim his throne and replace him by defeating him.
“I bring a wealth of experience into the ring. There isn’t a situation in boxing that I haven’t faced and overcome with flying colors.
“I have tremendous confidence in and respect for Canadian boxing officials. I have been treated so warmly in Canada that it really feels like home to me.
“Yvon Michel and his people have been very, very kind to me. I am the opponent but he has treated me as if I were his fighter and Pascal was the enemy. In fact, I think Pascal should be worried that his promoter is ready to sign me and drop him.
“Those belts used to be mine and they will be again.
“This kid is in over his head! I know he can’t swim so I’ll take him in deep waters.
“At 35, people thought I was old and then I beat Felix Trinidad. I’ve been blessed to fight so long. It says something for me to be able to stand at a podium and speak articulately.
“I’m the teacher. I’m going to take the student and give him an apple. And then, he’s going to be humble. He’s confident, but when the bell rings, that’s when I’m at my best.”
RUSS ANBER, Team Pascal
“In boxing we have to deal with a lot of nonsense, but when you are surrounded by greatness that we have been in the last couple of days with Oscar and Bernard, you know you what class can mean to a sport like ours. You guys bring that to the table 10 fold.
“You can’t teach a fighter what to feel. What is it that defines great fighters? When they step up and face great fighters. Bernard Hopkins is motivated to fight Jean Pascal because he wants a challenge. He is defying the odds and continues to defy them by taking on these young guns and beating them. Jean Pascal is motivated by the same thing.
“Jean Pascal’s life is motivated by achieving what people say he cannot do.
“These guys are motivated by greatness and Jean wants greatness on his record. He is doing it not by talking, but by results in the ring.
“Bernard is a throw back fighter, but no one ever defines what that means. A throwback fighter means that you could have put him in any era of boxing in the middleweight division and he would have rued the division.
“Jean is ready to take on the very best and that is what he is doing and he will do so on December 18.
“Bernard is fighting to add to his dynasty and Pascal is fighting to begin his own dynasty.
“This is so much more than a battle of skills and talent. This is about a living legend fighting a hungry, talented Canadian fighter looking to leave his mark on the world of boxing.
“What we have here are two great professionals with respect for each other both in and outside of the ring. That’s what makes boxing such a great sport.”
NAAZIM RICHARDSON, Hopkins’ Trainer
“Jean Pascal gave us a warm welcome in Canada. Canada is not that far, so you can buy tickets and make your way to see this fight. This is a sure thing if you want to be a part of this history.
“What I tell every athlete every time you step in the ring. You take one of two things out. You take experience, or your take punches.
“When you look at Bernard and this legendary ride he is has been on, he is more than a legend. He is an icon. This goes past greatness.
“(To Pascal) Your managers, your trainers your team, they can’t tell you how to feel when you look into that other corner on December 18. You won’t see a unification fight. You will see a legend in that other corner. You are going to learn a lot that night.
“A lot of people say that that wasn’t Chad Dawson’s night. I don’t go by that. I think you are going to see the best Pascal you have ever seen.
“The Canadian people understand boxing! There is a difference between understanding boxing and liking boxing.
“When you understand boxing you appreciate a Bernard Hopkins, when you like boxing you go to the fights to see anybody get knocked
“There are different levels or categories, if you will, of fighters. I don’t mean weight categories, I mean historic categories. There are good, great, elite, super and iconic fighters. Bernard Hopkins is an iconic fighter in every sense of the word.
“Bernard Hopkins is an every era fighter. By that I mean he would have been world champion in any era in the history of boxing.
“You must go see him live now because you will tell your kids, grandkids, great grandkids and so on down the line that you once saw the immortal Bernard Hopkins fight live.”
YVON MICHEL, GYM President/ General Manager
“We are very thrilled to have been a part of this media tour. It was interesting because we just came from Canada where we were speaking French and English and there was a language barrier so Oscar and Bernard didn’t know what we were talking about half of the time and we could say what we wanted.
“Dynasty: Pascal vs. Hopkins is one of the top four historical boxing events that has ever been held in Canada.
“A lot of people believe that it was a bad day for Chad Dawson when Pascal beat him to become the undisputed Light Heavyweight Champion. We believe he (Pascal) is the genuine article.
“We want to pass along the word that Quebec is a great place to be and a great place to hold an event.
“It has been a fortnight that I have heard that Bernard speak and I am impressed each time.
“I am sure you will not regret the quality of the fight that this will be.
“Quebec City is the oldest city in North America and it is a historical city. December 18 the city will be dressed for Christmas. It will be really special place to be.
“We have a little over 16,000 seats and we believe it will be sold out.
“I agree that after his fight against Bernard, Jean will not be the same. He has learned so much from one fight to the next and this will be no different.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions
“This fight is billed as ‘Dynasty.’ Will Bernard Hopkins continue to reign on top or will Jean Pascal carry that torch that Bernard has been carrying for the longest time in this sport?
“Bernard Hopkins, as you all know will be going for history once again. Bernard Hopkins has proven a lot of doubters wrong. He has proven to a lot of people that it can be done and he has proven to a lot of people that age doesn’t matter in any sport.
“I like and respect Jean Pascal very much. He is an exciting young champion.
“I have to admit that when I fought him and I saw him (Hopkins) across the ring before the bell rang for the first round, I was unnerved when I realized the greatness and the skill level of the man I was about to face.
“Everyone is brave at the press conference. It is a different animal when it comes to seeing your opponent face to face in the ring.
“That’s when you see who brings it and who leaves it in the dressing room.
“My uncle recently said to me, ‘I know Bernard Hopkins knocked you out, but I am going to root for him because he is closer to my age.’ This is the movement that Bernard Hopkins is really creating.
“He is showing that age doesn’t matter. Inside the ring, outside the ring, age doesn’t matter. He sleeps, eats and breaths boxing. That is his life. When you are a dedicated person, you are going to last very long in this sport. He is a master at what he does. That is why he can continue to challenge the young lions like Jean Pascal.
“This is going to be a huge fight. Tickets are going on sale and we hear from Yvon it will be sold out within a week.
“I like and respect Jean Pascal very much. He is an exciting young champion.
“Hopkins always brings it. The question that remains to be seen is whether or not this young lion can tame the lion tamer.”
KEN HERSHMAN, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports
“Bernard fought on Showtime many years ago, and has actually never lost on SHOWTIME. We will see if his streak continues.
“Pascal vs. Hopkins will be the last show of the year for us and we can’t think of a better way to end it with these great champions.
“This was going to be a pay-per-view event. We believe this is pay-per-view caliber but because of some other opportunities we were able to move it to Showtime and we were happy to do it.
“Without this cooperation and we would not have been able to move this fight to Showtime. Hopkins and Pascal felt they wanted to showcase their talents in front of the widest possible audience.”
