According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former Light Heavyweight champion Jean Pascal will take on Donovan George on December 6 at Bell Centre in Montreal as part of the Lucian Bute – Roberto Boloni undercard.

The signing “will place Pascal in a better position with regards to high-profile fight opportunities in the future,” said Interbox President Jean Bedard.

“Two big fights such as Bute versus Bolonti and Pascal versus George on the same card is a very rare occurrence in Quebec,” Bedard said.

“I always had a great respect for Jean Bedard. My company [Jean Pascal Promotions] is thrilled to be working alongside InterBox for my next four fights,” Pascal said.

“I am very happy to be fighting George,” Pascal said. “He took (reigning world champion) Adonis Stevenson to the 12th round and I plan to do better so that fight fans can use this as a measuring stick for an eventual fight between Stevenson and I.”

“I am coming to win and to shock Quebec,” George said. “I jumped on the fight versus Pascal the very minute it was proposed to me.”

New York, NY (4/29/14) – DiBella Entertainment and Jean Pascal Promotions have announced that they will be joining promotional forces, beginning with the exclusive signing of highly regarded super featherweight Joel Diaz Jr. (15-0, 12KO’s). Diaz Jr. had received offers from every major promotional outfit in boxing, but decided that DBE and Jean Pascal were the best fit. Diaz is set to make his much anticipated co-promotional debut when he headlines the upcoming May 16th ShoBox: The New Generation card at the Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Connecticut.

“I am thrilled to be signing with DBE and Jean Pascal Promotions. This is where I belong and this is the promotional team that will get me the opportunities that I want and need in my career. I couldn’t be happier to be joining their stables and I’m looking forward to becoming their next world champion,” said Diaz Jr.

“I am excited to be working with Joel Diaz Jr., who I consider to be one of the brightest young stars in all of boxing. This collaboration with Jean Pascal Promotions will increase Joel’s exposure and allow him to be promoted in an unprecedented way throughout all of North America,” said Lou DiBella.

“I have been a big fan of Joel Diaz Jr. ever since I saw him fight Guy Robb. The way he responded to adversity in that fight at just 19 years old really showed me something. I’m extremely proud that he is the first fighter to sign with Jean Pascal Promotions. I look forward to working with DiBella Entertainment on this international co-promotion and expect this to be the first of many deals that our two companies make,” said Jean Pascal.

“It was a pleasure to negotiate this deal with DiBella Entertainment, Joel and his manager Mike Criscio. Jean Pascal Promotions would like to thank Gordon Hall, Stephen Espinoza and everyone at Showtime for giving Joel Diaz Jr. another ShoBox date. We at Jean Pascal Promotions have no doubt that Joel will be graduating toward Championship Boxing dates and world title opportunities in the near future and are expecting a historical run to commence on May 16 at Foxwoods,” said Greg Leon, CEO of Jean Pascal Promotions.

“Joel Diaz Jr. is one of the best young fighters in the world. He is now starting to come into his own and I expect him to be a world champion by the end of next year. I would like to thank DiBella Entertainment, Jean Pascal Promotions and Greg Leon for making this deal possible. We feel very comfortable working with everyone, now it’s time to bring Joel Diaz Jr. to the next level,” said manager Mike Criscio.

Diaz is set to take on once-beaten prospect Tyler Asselstine in the 10-round main event live on SHOWTIME® (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) on May 16 at the beautiful Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Mashantucket, CT.

Tickets are priced at $125, $85 and $45, and may be purchased online at Foxwoods.com, by calling the Foxwoods’ box office at 800-200-2882, or in person at the Foxwoods box office. Tickets may also be purchased through any Ticketmaster outlet or online at Ticketmaster.com.

For fight updates go to www.dbe1.com, www.jeanpascalboxing.com www.sho.com/sho/sports/home, and www.foxwoods.com. Facebook at facebook.com/DiBellaentertainment, facebook.com/ShoBoxing, facebook.com/foxwoods, and on Twitter at twitter.com/dibellaent, twitter.com/LouDiBella, twitter.com/jeanpascalchamp, twitter.com/ShoSports and twitter.com/FoxwoodsCT. You can also follow Joel Diaz on twitter @realjoeldiaz

MONTREAL (April 16, 2014) — This afternoon at La Cage aux Sports Boucherville, Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) and InterBox announced that they had reached an agreement with Jean Pascal Promotions to ensure the services of the NABF Champion and WBC Diamond Belt light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (29-2-1, 17 KOs), who recently defeated Lucian Bute.

The multi-fight agreement was signed last Saturday between President Yvon Michel of GYM, InterBox President Jean Bédard and Chief Operating Officer (CEO) of Jean Pascal Promotions, Greg Leon.

WBC #1 contender Pascal became a promotional free agent after his fight this past January 18 in Montreal. During the nine years since his first professional fight Feb. 3, 2005, the 31 years old athlete fought all of his 32 fights under the aegis of Groupe Yvon Michel. During this period he won many titles highlighted by his conquest of popular WBC light heavyweight champion Adrian Diaconu at Montreal’s Bell Centre in June 2009. The following year, in the same arena against Chad Dawson, he added the prestigious “Ring Magazine” and IBO titles, and was recognized as the lineal 175-pound champion. Last January, he won his clash against Bute in front of more than 20,000 spectators gathered in the castle of the Montreal Canadiens.

Greg Leon, CEO of Jean Pascal Promotions, said, “”I want to thank Group Yvon Michel and InterBox for making our negotiation smooth and seamless. Jean Pascal Promotions and I are truly looking forward to promoting with such outstanding organizations. Jean Pascal is already the box office champion of the Canadian market and without question that is a position that he will only have a firmer stronghold of following these next two events. We are looking forward to giving the fans the fights they are craving and I have no doubt that Jean Pascal will be the last man standing when all is said and done.”

“We will work closely with GYM and InterBox across all platforms to design an integrated strategy that grows Jean Pascal’s brand globally. Our entire team is very excited with the deal we have concluded,” added Raven Brosier, consultant for Jean Pascal Promotions.

“At GYM, we are particularly pleased to continue our association with Jean Pascal, thru his company Jean Pascal Promotions, which began when he was 22, in 2005,” GYM president Yvon Michel commented. “Our alliance with InterBox in this project is not the result of a contextual improvisation but a long reflection that began at the end of last summer. Now, GYM and InterBox will join forces to offer the best opportunities for our boxers and to give our fans the best shows.”

“For us at InterBox, we are excited to implement our agreement with GYM, to combine the respective talents of both organizations and work to present to boxing fans major fights. It is in this perceptive that fits the agreement with Jean Pascal Promotions. Our first goal was to keep this talented Quebec athlete here in Quebec,” InterBox President Jean Bedard stated.

“As President of Jean Pascal Promotions,” Pascal remarked, “I have many new challenges ahead of me, but like I’ve done many times before, I plan on making history both inside and outside of the ring. I will be taking on the best challenges and give the fans their monies worth like I always do, but this time I will be doing so as a promoter and a boxer.”

“This opportunity is like a dream come true for me. I’m very excited about working with and learning from Groupe Yvon Michel and InterBox to make our events something the fans will never forget. I have to thank Yvon Michel, Jean Bedard, and Jean Pascal Promotions CEO Greg Leon for making this deal possible. The rest of my staff – Antonio Decarie, Feymie Ze Lou and Raven Brosier – deserve great thanks also for being involved on every step of this new journey.

The objective is to make two more fights in 2014 for Jean Pascal, the next scheduled for September. Discussions on the potential opponent are already underway and those for a U.S. broadcast will follow.

Jean Pascal scored a decisive 12 round unanimous decision over Lucian Bute in a Battle of former Montreal based world champions before a sold crowd of 20, 479 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Pascal came out working the body. In round two, Pascal shook Bute with a flurry of punches that also produced a mouse under the left eye of Bute. Pascal was effective with the right in round three. Bute scored later in the round with an uppercut and straight left. In round four, Pascal landed another hard flurry for which Bute looked shaky but took well. Pascal continued to dominate the action for which Bute had no answer for. In fact, there were times were Bute looked like he was there just to watch Pascal as his punch about was around 25 punches per round for the first 11 frames.

Bute had his fire lit before the final frame as he ferociously came out and landed many hard blows on Pascal in thee corner which was much to the delight of the massive crowd assembled at Bell Centre. That rally was too little and much too late for Bute, who may have saved a little face with the attempt of the late heroics.

Pascal, 175 lbs of Montreal won by scores of 116-112, 117-110 and 117-111 and is now 29-2-1. Bute, 173.6 lbs of Montreal is no 31-2.

Undefeated Heavyweight Mike Perez and Carlos Takam battled to a 10 round draw.

It was a tale of two fights as Perez seized a slight advantage early by landing some short shots inside and was effective with the overhand left. In round three, Perez was cut around the right eye from an accidental headbutt. That gave Takam the confidence to begin coming forward and dominated the fight on the inside. Takam clearly had the advantage in the later rounds but in the judges eyes, Perez took enough rounds early to salvage a draw by scores of 96-94 and 95-95 twice.

Perez of Cork, Ireland is now 20-0-1. Takam, 256 lbs of France is now 29-1-1.

Saturday’s HBO World Championship Boxing doubleheader telecast airs at 10:15 p.m. (ET/PT).

The HBO telecast kicks off live from the Bell Centre in Montreal when heavyweights Mike Perez and Carlos Takam square off for 10 rounds.

The evening’s main event features a light heavyweight matchup as Canadian stars Jean Pascal and Lucian Bute lace up their gloves for a 12-round showdown.

Official Weights from Montreal:

Jean Pascal: 175 lbs.
Lucian Bute: 173.6 lbs.

Mike Perez: 231.2 lbs.
Carlos Takam: 256.2 lbs.

Join the conversation on Twitter: #PascalBute

American fight fans will see the biggest bout in Canadian boxing history when the action-packed tripleheader WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: JEAN PASCAL VS. LUCIAN BUTE, ELEIDER ALVAREZ VS. THOMAS OOSTHUIZEN AND MIKE PEREZ VS. CARLOS TAKAM is presented SATURDAY, JAN. 18 at 10:15 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT) from the Bell Centre in Montreal, exclusively on HBO. The HBO Sports team will call all the action, presented in HDTV and in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates: Jan. 19 (8:30 a.m.) and 21 (midnight)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 19 (4:00 p.m.) and 20 (11:00 p.m.)
In the historic main event, the country’s top rivals, Jean Pascal (28-2-1, 17 KOs) and Lucian Bute (31-1-0, 24 KOs), meet in a 12-round, 175-pound spectacle originally slated for May 2013. The 31-year-old Pascal has never backed down from a challenge, confronting American stars Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson with supreme confidence. Bute, 33, has displayed flashes of brilliance as a super middleweight, and will now test his power in the light heavyweight division.
The preceding bout features Montreal’s Eleider Alvarez (13-0-0, 8 KOs) and Thomas Oosthuizen (22-0-2, 13 KOs) of Boksburg, Gauteng, South Africa in a 12-round light heavyweight title clash. The undefeated Alvarez, 29, who has fought his last ten fights at the Bell Centre, will have the backing of fight fans around the country. Returning to HBO after recording a draw against Brandon Gonzales in June, Oosthuizen, 25, is making the transition from super middleweight to the highly competitive 175-pound division.
The evening opens with a battle of highly touted heavyweights, as Mike Perez (20-0, 12 KOs) of Cork, Ireland, takes on Carlos Takam (29-1, 23 KOs) of Noisy-le-Grand, Seine-Saint-Denis, France in a scheduled ten-round bout. Coming off a November win, Perez, 28, seeks to preserve his undefeated record and power-punch his way to a shot at a heavyweight crown. Boasting an impressive 11-fight win streak, including eight by knockout, Takam is making his HBO and Canadian debuts. He is sharp having scored a third round KO win over Jakov Gospic on Dec. 20.
All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV. HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.
Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.
® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

MONTREAL (October 31, 2013) – InterBox and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) are very pleased to confirm the rescheduled date for the much anticipated Light Heavyweight bout featuring Jean Pascal (28-2-1, 17 KO) vs. Lucian Bute (31-1-0, 24 KO). This local bout with high International intrigue will take place on Saturday, January 18th 2014 at the Montreal Bell Centre. HBO World Championship Boxing will televise.

This high profile bout between two former World champions was originally scheduled to take place last May 25th, but was postponed due to an injury to Lucian Bute’s left hand.

Yvon Michel, President of GYM, is very enthusiastic that this long awaited bout is finally rescheduled: “We are preparing for an event like no other in Canadian history. This event will be the new measuring stick for us in our sport, and this statement is true as much for boxing fans as it is for the fight itself and the intensity surrounding it”.

“We are excited to finally present this event. Our fans have waited a long time for this. Both boxers are ready so believe me, nobody will regret the wait,”adds InterBox president Jean Bedard.

“Finally! I have been waiting for this fight for years,” states former World Light Heavyweight champion Jean Pascal, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Monday. “I believe my opponent’s team conspired to postpone the fight in an attempt to demoralize me. Believe me, it did not work! On January 18th the ring will be too small for the both of us. Bute will not be able to hide. I will expose him”.

“As you all know already, I will arrive to the ring very well prepared. This is a fight that I wanted. I am going to have fun on January 18th, and so are the majority of Quebecers present at the Bell Centre,” declares former Super Middleweight champion Lucian Bute, who will be stepping up to Light Heavyweight for the bout.

Boxing in Quebec is surging more than ever!

Over the last few years, Quebec has become the International reference point for the quality of its boxers, the Champions it has developed, as well as the competencies of the two biggest promoters, GYM and InterBox.

It has now become second nature for boxing fans throughout Quebec to expect thrilling fights and intriguing boxing events loaded with talent right in their own backyard. What started off as local interest has now caught the eye of the most popular International broadcaster in the World, HBO. This prestigious network will be visiting Quebec and producing their 4th major Show in the Province in 7 months time.
“We have nothing to envy from anyone. We can compete with every American city. HBO loves coming here and have genuine interest in all our boxers, not just the champions. This is definitely a source of pride for us,” states Jean Bedard.

“Over 15,000 tickets have already been sold. We are convinced we will pass the 20,000 fan mark at the Bell Centre. The entire World will be looking in with admiration on January 18th,” states Yvon Michel.

Antidoping tests
Both boxers have signed the antidoping protocol and will be tested randomly over the next two and a half month period. These tests, comprised of urine and blood collection, are subject to World Anti Doping Agenecy (WADA) standards, which are similar to Olympic style testing.

Tickets on sale now
Tickets are now on sale at evenko.ca, or by dialing 1-855-310-2525, or by contacting Club de boxe Champion at 514-376-0980.

MONTREAL (September 26, 2013) – While media attention has focused on Saturday night’s “The Return Of Superman” main event (airing live on HBO in the United States), featuring World Boxing Council (WBC), The Ring Magazine and lineal world light heavyweight champion Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (21-1, 18 KOs) in his first title defense against former world title-holder Tavoris “Thunder” Cloud (24-1, 19 KOs), the remainder of this stacked card at historic Bell Centre in Montreal also showcases five other Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) world-class fighters in action.

First, former WBC, The Ring Magazine and lineal light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (22-2-1, 16 KOs) returns to the ring for the first time since defeating Aleksy Kuziemski last December. His opponent is American George “Honey Boy” Blades (23-4-2, 16 KOs). The last time the WBC #2-rated Pascal did not participate in the main bout of a major event was back in December of 2007, when he faced Brian Norman at the Bell Centre. Joachim Alcine then successfully defended his World Boxing Association (WBA) light middleweight title belt against Alfonso Mosquera in the main event.

Jean Pascal

“It is a privilege and a luxury to have Pascal’s participation in Saturday night’s event,” said President Yvon Michel of GYM. “He is still considered one of the biggest stars in the light heavyweight division and we all look forward to seeing him back in action. He’s fighting for all the right reasons on Saturday and it was good to see him happily smiling during training camp. Currently there is no opponent who is more important for Jean’s career than Blades. I expect an inspired performance from him as HBO executives watch him in action.”

The 39-year-old Blades has been a professional boxer since 1999. From his pro debut through 2007, he won 20 of his first 22 pro fights to join the ranks of world heavyweight contenders. In June of 2007, he had a world title shot against World Boxing Organization (WBO) light heavyweight champion Zsolt Erdei (26-0-0), who won by 11th round technical knockout in Hungary. Blades has won his last two fights, most recently against James Morrow (12-19-3), on February 16 in his home state of Indiana.

Another world light heavyweight contender from Montreal, whose return has been long anticipated, is North American Boxing Association (NABA) and North American Boxing Organization (NABO) light heavyweight champion, Eleider “Storm” Alavarez (12-0, 8 KOs). The WBA and WBO #4 Alvarez faces fellow Colombian, Edison “Pantera” Miranda (35-8-0, 30 KOs). Alvarez has won his last three fights by knockout, including the last two against the world-rated opponents Danny McIntosh and Nicholson Poulard. Alvarez wants his world title shot soon and a convincing victory on his part could precipitate many things in the short or medium term.

Eleider Alvarez (R) explodes

Miranda is a dangerous puncher, whose early meteoric rise resulted in a pair of unsuccessful world title fights, seeks to revive his career. According to his promoter Leon Margules, Miranda doubled his training workouts, “Edison is only 32 years old but he is aware that he must absolutely win September 28th because it is his last chance, explaining why he has trained in Florida with so much determination.
Because he and Alvarez are both Colombian, their fight is so much more personal, passionate and emotional for both warriors.”
Another GYM fighter patiently waiting to explode on the international scene, middleweight prospect David Lemieux (29-2-0, 28 KOs), will also be in action Saturday night at Bell Centre. Now ranked #14 by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and #15 by the WBC, Lemieux takes on American upset-specialist Marcus Upshaw (15-10-2, 7 KOs) . The latter is well-known in Quebec having shocked Quebec fighter Renan St-Juste three years ago in Quebec City “At 6′ 4” with an aggressive style, it is possible that David may look bad at times in this fight, but this is the kind of strong and complicated opponent that will allow David to grow,” Lemieux’ trainer Marc Ramsay commented. Lemieux has won his last four fights by KO and his opponents lasted a total of only six rounds during this sequence.

Welterweight Antonin Decarie (27-2, 7 KOs) fought his last two times before HBO cameras and, despite losing his last fight to Argentina Carlos Abregu (35-1, 28 KOs), he showed the right stuff to evolve into a potential world champion. The 30-year-old Decarie, rated #10 by the WBC, still has a very bright future ahead of him. He has also been selected to represent North America in the WBC’s World Cup tournament that should get underway in late 2013. In a six-rounder to stay active, Decarie will face the Frenchman Salim Larbi (17-3-2, 5 KOs) this Saturday evening. Larbi fought for the WBO world title as recently as 2012.

IBF I / C and NABA welterweight contender, IBF #3 rated Kevin Bizier (20-0, 14 KOs), of Quebec, will also be back in action after fully recovering from a painful ankle sprain. His opponent is veteran Giuseppe Lauri (53-14, 31 KOs), a native of Italy who now lives in Hungary. Bizier could be one of the main headliners of a GYM event tentatively scheduled for November in Quebec City.

Finally, Saturday night’s event will allow former world amateur champion Artur Beterbiev (1-0, 1 KOs) to continue learning, this time in a six-round, light heavyweight fight. To demonstrate the confidence that GYM places in Beterbiev, in only his second professional outing, the Russian prospect will fight a veteran of 47 professional fights, Rayco Saunders (23-22-2, 10 KOs). It’s highly usual for a young prospect like Beterbiev, who hasn’t lost since a cut cost him an amateur match in 2003, to fight a veteran such as Saunders so early into his pro career.

“Superman Returns,” headlined by the world light heavyweight championship between defending champion Stevenson and challenger Cloud, is being presented by Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), Don King Productions (DKP) and Gary Shaw Productions (GSP), in association with Mise-O-Jeu and Videotron.
Saturday night’s gala event at Bell Centre promises to be memorable, featuring an awesome line-up of fighters in significant matches.

Doors at the Bell Centre will open Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. ET with the first fight scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. ET. Stevenson vs. Cloud on HBO in the U.S. is slated to start around 10:30 p.m. ET.

Tickets are available at Bell Centre, on www.evenko.ca, at GYM (514) 383-0666 or Boxing Club Champion (514) 376-0980. Ticket prices range from $ 50 in the red up to $ 300 on the floor.

About Groupe Yvon Michel Inc.: Yvon Michel (GYM) Group was founded in 2004. The organization’s mission is the development of high-level boxers with a support frame in direct competition. To achieve its objectives, GYM actively recruits talent and organizes events. Since its founding nine years ago, GYM has promoted 109 events, some of which have made history in ticket and PPV sales like Pascal vs. Hopkins I and II. GYM has produced more than 300 hours of television for Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw TV, TVA Sports, VOX, TVA, CBC, RDS and V, in Canada, as well as HBO, Showtime and ESPN in the USA. A total of seven different GYM boxers have participated in 17 world title fights. Under the tutelage of GYM Joachim Alcine captured the WBA super welterweight in 2007, Jean Pascal won the WBC Light Heavyweight championship in 2009, and since June 2013 Adonis “Superman” Stevenson has held the WBC, The Ring Magazine and linear light heavyweight.

Jean Pascal will tune up for his January bout with Lucian Bute when he takes on George Blades on September 28th in Montreal as part of the Adonis Stevenson Light Heavyweight title defense with Tavoris Cloud according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“In taking this fight, we have evaluated the pros and cons and at the end when we got the assurance that Jean was physically in perfect condition and in good health, we decided to do it. He’s a professional fighter and a professional fighter should fight,” Yvon Michel, Pascal’s promoter, told ESPN.com on Thursday.

“I’m very happy to be back and I want to thank Yvon for that because boxing is my life,” Pascal told ESPN.com. “It’s not a championship fight, so I’m going to fight at a catch weight, 180. I don’t consider this fight as a tuneup fight because at my level every fight is important and a loss can damage the rest of my career.

“Also, I know that Mr. Blades won’t come to [just to] cash a check. He and his whole team are coming to win.”

“It’s a big fight with Lucian Bute on Jan. 18, but by Jean fighting on Sept. 28, it will keep him motivated to keep training and he will want to look good against George Blades,” Michel said. “Blades is not a world champion but anyone can look good if you’re not well prepared. So Jean wants to use that fight as a preparation step for the fight after against Bute. We all believe having Pascal back in the ring will revive the popularity around the Pascal-Bute fight after it was postponed. Having Jean fighting will put it back in people’s minds and after Sept. 28 we will re-launch the marketing around the Pascal-Bute fight.”

Montreal, Monday, May 13th 2013 – InterBox and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) have reserved the dates of Saturday, December 7th and Saturday, January 25th at the Montreal Bell Centre for the postponed Bute vs. Pascal bout.
Both promoters reserved two dates in order to afford HBO some options. Both promoters plan to discuss the two options with HBO Executives in a few weeks time before announcing the exact rescheduled date.

All tickets purchased will be accepted
All fight fans who have purchased tickets already can hold on to them for the December 7th or January 25th rescheduled date. Fans can also purchase tickets to this historic event by visiting www.evenko.ca, through InterBox, through GYM (514) 383-0666, and by contacting the club de boxe Champion (514) 376-0980.

Montreal, Wednesday, May 8th – After internal discussions, InterBox and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) have jointly decided against promoting a boxing event on Saturday, May 25th at the Montreal Bell Centre. Preferring to wait until Lucian Bute recovers from surgery to his hand, HBO has confirmed interest in broadcasting the Bute vs. Pascal bout when the new date is known.

InterBox and the GYM Group will now focus their efforts on the Stevenson vs. Dawson WBC Light Heavyweight event on June 8th. Certain undercard bouts signed for May 25th will be presented on the June 8th card. More details to follow shortly.

Kessler vs Froch II broadcast
InterBox holds the rights to Canada of the May 25th IBF and WBA World Super Middleweight titles Unification bout between Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler, and will announce shortly its intentions regarding broadcast throughout Quebec.

All tickets purchased will be honored
All tickets already purchased for the Bute vs. Pascal Gala will be honored by the Bell Centre for the rescheduled date.

Montreal, Tuesday, May 7th 2013 – Lucian Bute suffered an injury to his left hand that has forced the postponement of his May 25th bout vs. Jean Pascal. Lucian will undergo surgery this week to remove bone fragments from his hand and recovery is anticipated to take a few weeks.

Motivated like never before, Lucian Bute was in the middle of the best training camp of his career. “I am very disappointed by this injury. I have never been in better shape. My preparation was ahead of schedule until late last week. The fans that paid high ticket prices to see me in action against Pascal deserve to see both boxers at their best. Unfortunately I would be far from my best in my present state. For my own good, I have to take the advice of my doctor and undergo this operation. I feel very sad for the fans” declared Lucian Bute.
“This situation is heartbreaking. Lucian`s preparation surpassed our objectives and now this injury will prevent him from offering his fans a great performance on May 25th. We are all very disappointed with this turn of events but the decision to go straight to surgery was the only one to be made as he could no longer use his left hand adequately in training. In the past, we made the error of not listening to the signs of distress coming from the body of an athlete. We do not want to make these same mistakes again » states head trainer Stephan Larouche.

InterBox president Jean Bedard fully supports his boxer during this difficult time. “This is very discouraging for the team. InterBox and Lucian Bute have been through a lot to offer this fight to the fans, but unfortunately injuries are a part of the sport. We made the decision to postpone the fight in the best interests of the fans and of our boxer, Lucian. We will do everything in our power so that Lucian rehabilitates from this injury as fast as possible so he can lace up the gloves against Jean Pascal”.
Refund for tickets purchased
InterBox and Evenko will communicate the procedure for refund of purchased tickets as soon as possible.

Montreal, Tuesday, April 30th, 2013 – InterBox and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) are proud to announce all six undercard bouts that will support the historic fight between Lucian Bute (31-1-0 24 KO) and Jean Pascal (27-2-1 16 KO) on Saturday, May 25th 2013 at the Montreal Bell Centre. 4 title belts will be on the line for this Mega Card that has already convinced over 17,000 fans to purchase their tickets. Several new good tickets have been placed into circulation for the general public on Monday.

Froch vs Kessler II: IBF and WBA World titles Unification bout aired live at the Bell Centre

The evening’s festivities will get under way at 6:30 PM at the Bell Centre, with the live presentation of the much anticipated rematch between Carl Froch (30-2-0, 22 KO) and Mikkel Kessler (46-2-0, 35 KO) on big screen. The winner of this bout will unify the Super Middleweight titles (IBF & WBA). Both boxers squared off for the first time during the Super 6 Boxing Series in April 2010 in Denmark, with Kessler walking away from a hotly contested showdown with a unanimous decision victory on home soil (115-113, 116-112, and 117-111). Having promised Carl a rematch in his Home Country, Kessler signed on the dotted line to fight Froch at the 02 Arena in London. Froch is looking to avenge his loss and add the WBA belt to his long list on accomplishments.

Alvarez vs Green

Undefeated #5 rated WBA Light Heavyweight contender Eleider Alvarez (12-0-0 8 KO) will be looking to score a 4th consecutive knockout at the Bell Centre. His customer is a tough one and certainly no stranger to Quebec. Allan Green (32-4-0, 22 KO), a former Super 6 contestant, is 2-0 in Quebec rings, having beaten Quebeckers Sebastien Demers and Renan St-Juste. This bout is scheduled for 10 rounds.

Gauthier vs Roman

Sebastien Gauthier (22-4-0 14 KO) from St-Jerome, Quebec, has not had life easy his last few fights, having come out the losing end of physical and bloody wars with ex-World champions Steve Molitor and Rodrigo Guerrero. Gauthier will be looking to renew with the win column but will be facing another tough test in California boxer Manuel Roman (15-2-3, 6 KO) over 8 rounds.

Bizier vs Rios

Quebec native Kevin Bizier (20-0-0, 14 KO) is set to dispute his second fight in 2013. His opponent, the rugged and experienced Aldo Nazareno Rios (48-6-0, 11 KO) from Argentina, will be looking to capitalize on Bizier’s inactivity. Ranked IBF #3 and WBA #6, Bizier will have his hands full with Rios, who has only been KOed once in 54 fights! Rios’ two defeats by decision in World title fights prove he is a tough contender. This bout is scheduled for 8 rounds.

Zewski vs Samuels

Strong off another eye-popping victory last April 13th in New York, Mikael Zewski (19-0-0, 15 KO), from Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, will reacquaint himself with his Quebec fans on May 25th. His opponent, Derrick Samuels (18-4-1, 5 KO), will have a tough task in front of him. The last time the undefeated Zewski boxed at home, he annihilated his opponent in 37 seconds (Cesar Chavez on November 3rd 2012). Zewski will be looking to make another huge statement on May 25th. This bout is also scheduled for 8 rounds.

Bouchard vs Cotroni Jr: A local fight that promises emotion!

Sebastien Bouchard (6-0-0, 2 KO) from Quebec will face the biggest test of his young career on May 25th. Undefeated in 6 bouts, he will lace the gloves vs. Frank Cotroni Jr. (7-1-0 4 KO) in a bout scheduled for 6 rounds at 154 lbs. The blue chip prospect of the Club Empire Gym of Quebec City is looking at this fight as his spring board into bigger and more meaningful fights. Both boxers have been calling each other out for the last year, which is great news for fight fans!

New good tickets available!

Tickets for Pascal vs. Bute are on sale at the Bell Centre Ticket Office by dialing 1-877-668-8269 or by visiting www.evenko.ca. Tickets are also available at Club de boxe Champion by calling (514) 376-0980. Now that the Bell Centre configuration is complete, new good seats are available for the first time at the ticket office.

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Lucian Bute (31-1-0 24 KO) met with media representatives at the Palm Beach Boxing Gym in West Palm Beach to promote his upcoming fight vs. Jean Pascal (27-2-1, 17 K0s), which is being labeled by the media as the greatest fight in Canadian Boxing history,

On Saturday night, May 25th, airing live on HBO Championship Boxing from Bell Centre in Montreal, Lucian will step in the ring against former WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal. The gala is co-promoted by InterBox and Groupe Yvon Michel.

Here some quotes from Lucian Bute, Stephan Larouche and InterBox president, Jean Bedard.

Lucian Bute
“It’s been almost 6 years that he’s been talking negatively about me. He repeatedly said that I was afraid to face him and that by avoiding him I do not respect the fans. I always knew this fight would happen. It was just a question of choosing the right time. And here we are.”

“I accepted to move up to 175 to make sure the fight happens! The time has come to shut him up!”

“I was an undefeated boxer during my preparation leading up to the fight with Carl Froch. I knew nothing of the impact and consequences of defeat. I discovered the hardships of losing. It was very hard to live with what happened. The defeat made me lose some confidence in my abilities and it showed in my fight against Denis Grachev. I was hesitant in my performance. It took some time, but I am back and hungry for victory. I will not repeat any of my errors against Pascal.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been at such peak physical condition. I miss this feeling!”

“Pascal is very present in my head. When I walk into the gym, I think of Pascal. I visualize the fight all the time, sometimes even while having dinner with my team!

Stephan Larouche
“Lucian said Pascal’s endurance lasts four rounds and he boxes 1:30 per round. This is true and I would say that Lucian is being generous. The way I see it Jean Pascal fights one minute per round and gives it his all towards the end to try and steal the round. ”

“Jean Pascal had a lot of injuries lately. I wish him all the best and I hope he will show up in top physical form. But let’s say, if the past is any indication of the future, he may struggle to perform during twelve rounds.”

Jean Bedard
“My fighter is highly motivated and I expect a great performance from him. Lucian and Stephan have come up with the strategic plan. Stephan’s team is implementing such plan and Lucian will execute it on May 25th. For a promoter, this is very reassuring.”

More than 17000 tickets have been sold. Good tickets are limited but still available for sale at the Bell Centre Ticket Office, by dialing 1-877-668-8269, or by visiting www.evenko.ca. Tickets are also available at Club de boxe Champion by calling 514-376-0980.

Go to www.InterBox.ca or www.groupeyvonmichel.ca for more information, or follow on Twitter @InterBoxca, @YvonMichelGYM, @lucianyl or @JeanPascalChamp.

Montreal, Tuesday, April 16th 2013 – InterBox, Lucian Bute, Jean Pascal and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) hereby confirm that antidoping tests are in place leading up to their fight scheduled on May 25th at the Montreal Bell Centre. All parties have agreed on all procedures and both fighters have approved the antidoping program.

The program is inspired by the highest standards in the industry and calls for unannounced testing for each boxer before, during and after the May 25th fight.

At the request of the third parties involved in this effort, all procedures and intervening companies shall remain confidential.

Both promoters, together with their respective boxers and team members, will not comment further on any aspect related to the program or procedures in place.

Montreal, Wednesday March 20th 2013 – InterBox and Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) are proud to announce that the historic bout featuring Lucian Bute (31-1-0 24 KO) vs. Jean Pascal (27-2-1 16 KO) will take place on Saturday, May 25th at the Montreal Bell Centre.

Both boxers have been invited by the Bell Centre and the Montreal Canadiens to participate in the ceremonial puck drop yesterday just before the NHL game between the Canadiens and the visiting Buffalo Sabres.

Important ticket sale information for Bute vs. Pascal

Tickets for this much anticipated mega-fight will go on sale on Thursday, March 28th at 10 AM. Members of the Evenko Newsletter, of Club Cage, and Vidéotron employees will benefit from an exclusive pre-sale period from Tuesday, March 26th at 9 AM until Wednesday, March 27th at 10 PM.

Tickets will be on sale at the Bell Centre Ticket Office, by dialing 1-877-668-8269 or by visiting www.evenko.ca. Tickets will also be available at Club de boxe Champion by calling (514) 376-0980.

Press Conference open to the public

Lucian Bute and Jean Pascal will go face-to-face for the first time on Tuesday, March 26th at 12:30 PM at the Bell Centre during the Official Press Conference to inaugurate this historic bout. This event will be open to the general public. Boxing fans across the Province will be able to witness the beginning of what is sure to be a very interesting 2 month sprint before fight night.

Montreal, Friday, March 15, 2013 – InterBox and Group Yvon Michel (GYM) are extremely proud to confirm that the highly anticipated duel between Lucian Bute (31-1-0 24 KO) and Jean Pascal (27-2-1 16 KO) is now signed, sealed and delivered! This huge clash will take place on Saturday, May 25th with details such as the venue and American TV yet to be finalized.

“This fight will mark an historic moment for boxing in Canada. Emotions will be high and the memories will be engraved in the collective memory forever,” declares the president of GYM, Yvon Michel.

“This is the fight that everyone has been waiting for, even the casual fan. It was an honor to help finalize it”, states the president of InterBox, Jean Bedard. “All parties were anxious to reach an agreement and now boxing fans across the World can expect a spectacular show on May 25th,” concludes Jean Bedard.

All others details will be communicated to the public shortly including the first “face to face” between Lucian Bute and Jean Pascal as well as information regarding ticket sales.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, potentially the biggest bout in Canadian boxing history between former world champions Jean Pascal and Lucian Bute has been agreed to.

“Bute and Pascal are going to fight each other, it’s just when we don’t know,” Yvon Michel, Pascal’s promoter, told ESPN.com on Monday. “We are working on different scenarios.”

The likely scenario is that they will meet in the spring, probably May 25. A less likely scenario is that they would meet in the fall with each having an interim bout. Either way, Bute would rise in weight from 168 pounds to 175 to fight in Pascal’s division, Michel said.

“I have already had phone calls from the Bell Centre, from Olympic Stadium and a football stadium in Quebec City,” Michel said. “It’s the biggest ever fight in Canada.”

Said Buter’s promoter Interbox CEO Jean Bedard: “Everybody here [in Canada] has wanted the fight for a long time. It will be the biggest event in boxing history in Canada.”

The reason the deal comes as such a surprise, however, is the timing. Pascal has had a deal in place, although not signed, to face light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson on May 25 on HBO in a rematch at the Bell Centre. The fight was originally scheduled for March 9 but postponed because Pascal re-injured his shoulder in a unanimous 10-round decision win against Aleksy Kuziemski on Dec. 14 and needed additional time to recover.

Michel said Pascal’s interim bout before facing Bute could be the rematch with Dawson, but he was not very convincing. It would be a big gamble to take with the Bute fight looming.

“This is what we haven’t decided yet. This is what we are evaluating right now,” Michel said of whether to fight Bute or Dawson next. “But Pascal will make $700,000 to fight Dawson. He will make more than $2 million fighting Bute.”

“There’s a lot of interest from people in Canada and outside of Canada for this fight,” Bedard said. “HBO already planned for Pascal-Dawson II, so this is an issue for them, but it’s their decision. They say that have already planned to work with [Dawson promoter] Gary Shaw and Yvon.

“But Pascal wants to fight Bute more than Dawson and there is a lot more money for him in the fight. HBO likes to be part of very big events. May 25 would be a big event because HBO has [the Mikkel Kessler-Froch super middleweight title rematch] in London and after that (on the same telecast) you could have Pascal-Bute. That’s big. The boxers are there, the promoters are there, the fans are there for this fight. Everybody is on the same page.”

Shaw is not happy about Pascal-Bute likely killing the May Pascal-Dawson rematch.

“I met with Yvon this week in New York, where he told me that Bedard had offered him a fight with Bute and he would put Dawson on the undercard, give him $600,000 and we could bring our own opponent. I told him, I would never do that to my fighter or HBO,” Shaw said. “We finished lunch, I asked, ‘Do we still have a fight,’ and Yvon said, ‘Yes,’ and shook my hand, and said, ‘We have a deal.’

“That is everything I know. Yvon has always been honest and I would be very disappointed to find out that Yvon has done anything underhanded. But remember, this is boxing, and stranger things have happened.”

MONTREAL (December 12, 2012) – Only two more days before Laval’s popular Jean Pascal (26-2-1, 16 KOs) finally returns to the ring at the Bell Centre in Montreal, away since his heart-breaking loss 19 months ago to Bernard Hopkins, which cost him his World Boxing Council (WBC) light heavyweight title belt.

Contrary to his normally calm approach to a fight, Pascal feels anxious and nervous over his time away from the ring going into Friday night’s fight against an opponent who also boxed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, as Pascal did, 2004 Polish Olympian Aleksy Kuziemski (26-2-1, 16 KOs). It is not the fear of his opponent’s attack – Pascal has never been afraid of another fighter – rather the anxiety of having lost his bearings, not being able to fulfill the expectations of the loyal Quebec public. He is well prepared, as skilled as ever, and he will give his best effort on Friday night.

Pascal’s potential world title fight on HBO against WBC World Champion Chad Dawson, at least for now, remains down the road. All that Pascal is focused on right now is Friday, Dec.14, and his tough European opponent.

Lemieux against Russian Ayrapetyan

As previously announced, Friday evening’s co-feature will showcase relentless Montreal slugger David Lemieux (27-2-1, 26 KOs) in a 10-round fight. His opponent is 31-year-old Russian Alberto Ayrapetyan (20-3-0, 9 KOs), who resides and fights out of Germany. Ayrapetyan has suffered only one defeat before the limit, losing to the great middleweight champion of the world, Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez, in the 11th round of their WBC Latino Championship fight. Ayrapetyan, as Lemieux, is of Armenian origin. Lemieux speaks French, English, Armenian, Spanish and Arabic; Ayrapetyan is also multilingual, according to his Facebook page, fluent in German, Spanish, Portuguese, Armenian and Russian. These two should find it easy to understand each other the ring.

Alvarez vs. 2011 European champion Danny “The Big Mac” McIntosh

Englishman Danny “Big Mac” McIntosh (13-3-0, 7 KOs), 32, will challenge talented North American Boxing Association (NABA) lightweight champion Eleider “Storm” Alvarez (10-0-0, 6 KOs). McIntosh was the Great Britain light heavyweight champion from 2008 to 2009, as well as European titlist in 2011. He lost his last two fights by technical knockout in valiant efforts against aspiring world champions. In May of 2011, he lost his European title in the eighth round to Eduard Gutknect (24-1-0, 9 KOs) in Germany. The judges’ scoring indicated a close fight going into the eighth round. In a similarly contested fight last April in Liverpool, England, McIntosh was stopped in the fifth round by his United Kingdom compatriot, Tony Bellew (19-1-0, 16 KOs). McIntosh’s three career losses (his other defeat was to current World Boxing Organization 175-pound champion Nathan Cleverly) have been to some of the best light heavyweights in the world.

“Storm has so much talent and determination,” said Alvarez’ promoter, GYM president Yvon Michel, “it has been tempting to move him faster. He has demonstrated that, despite having had only 10 professional fights, he can do as good as the best in the light heavyweight division, even against those with twice his experience.”

Bizier, McGuinness and Rivas, confirmed opponent

Quebec favorite Kevin Bizier (18-0-0, 13 KOs) will back into the ring for the second time this year, matched Friday night with welterweight Doel “Amish Guy” Carrasquillo (16-22-1, 14 KOs), of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Toronto’s unbeaten Logan McGuinness (18-0-1, 9 KOs), a protégé of Adam Harris (Hennessy Sports Canada), will defend his NABA super featherweight title against Carlos Manuel Reyes (23-1-1, 15 KOs), from the Dominican Republic.

Quebec heavyweight Oscar Rivas (11-0-0, 6 KOs), who has fully recovered from a recent hand injury, takes on 36-year-old Hungarian invader Lazlo Peczeli (4-2-1, 3 KOs).

The opening fights on the stacked “Fast & Furious” card pits spectacular featherweight prospect Marc “Gwapo” Pagcaliwangan (1-0-0, 1 KO), fighting for the second time straight time in Montreal, against Hungarian boxer Richard Voros (4 -10-0, 1 KO), followed by heavyweight battle between Ottawa favorite Andrew Gardiner (5-0-0, 2 KOs) and Attila Nagy Tibor (4-5-0, 3 KOs), of Budapest, Hungary.

Friday night’s event will be available for viewing by fans in the comfort of their homes via Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw TV in Canada, as well as on WealthTV in the United States.

Tickets for the Dec. 14 event at the Bell Centre are on sale now, as well as for the three remaining GYM boxing series shows this season, the innovative and popular “Fast and Furious.” Tickets, starting at $36.00, are available to purchase at the Bell Centre, or at evenko.ca, or by calling GYM at (514) 383.0666. Despite the magnitude of The Return of Jean Pascal, GYM resisted the urge to raise ticket prices.

About Groupe Yvon Michel Inc:

Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) was founded in 2004. The organization’s mission is the development of high-level boxers, supported by coaching and management for competition. To achieve its objectives, GYM actively recruits talent and organizes events. Since its inception eight years ago, GYM has produced 106 events, including historical ticket sales and PPV viewership for Pascal vs. Hopkins I and II. GYM has produced more than 300 hours of television with Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw TV, TVA Sports, VOX, TVA, CBC, RDS and V, in Canada, as well as HBO, Showtime and ESPN in the United States. A total of six different GYM boxers have participated in 16 world championship fights. Under the tutelage of GYM, Joachim Alcine captured the WBA super welterweight title in 2007 and Jean Pascal the WBC light heavyweight crown in 2009.

MONTREAL (November 5, 2012) — It is now confirmed that, after 17 months of waiting, the World Boxing Council (WBC) light heavyweight champion from 2009 to 2011, Jean Pascal (26-2-1, 16 KOs), of Laval (Quebec, Canada), is returning to the ring on Friday, December 14 at the Bell Centre.

Loyal fans of the popular Fast & Furious Boxing Series will benefit from the long awaited return of the world-class fighter Pascal, who will face Aleksy “Ali” Kuziemski (23-4, 7 KOs) Dec. 14 in the second of the four exciting matches featured on the Fast & Furious Series 3.0.

Pascal hasn’t fought since losing on points to Bernard Hopkins in May of 2011 at a packed Bell Centre. His absence on the international scene left a gaping hole in the light heavyweight division. Pascal has two option proposals for 2013: the first is a fight on Showtime against International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Tavoris Cloud (24-0, 19 KOs) in February, the other a rematch against WBC champion Chad Dawson (31-2, 17 KOs) on HBO in March.

Before he challenges for another world championship, Pascal must return to the various association’s rankings, a position he lost due to his prolonged absence. Only an impressive victory against Kuziemski will give Pascal optimism for 2013. “After a few unsuccessful tries,” Pascal said “I know that this time is correct. My training is going well, my health is excellent, and I started hurting my sparring partners in training. In 2013, I will be world champion, crushing anybody who tries to stop me.”

Kuziemski has a lot of experience in amateur boxing having won a bronze medal at the 2003 World Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. He (Poland) and Pascal (Canada) participated in the 2004 Olympic in Athens, Greece. Kuziemski lost on points to current World Boxing Association (WBA) champion Beibut Shumenov. A veteran of 27 professional, Kuziemski held the prestigious European title from 2008 to 2009. He unsuccessfully challenged for world title twice, stopped in the 11th round by former World Boxing Organization (WBO) light heavyweight champion Juergen Braehmer (38-2, 30 KOs), and in the fourth by reigning WBO titlist Nathan Cleverly (24-0, 11 KOs) last year.

Kuziemski won his last fight in March of this year against Leo Tchoula (9-2, 8 KO) by second-round technical knockout in Poland. “Kuziemski is a solid professional who learned to box in the great Polish amateur system that has been very successful in Europe,” GYM president Yvon Michel said. He also fought in World Championship. He certainly has the tools, maturity, and experience to provide a solid examination for our boxer (Pascal).”

David Lemieux in co-feature

Relentless slugger David Lemieux (27-2-1, 26 KOs), of Laval, fights a middleweight opponent to soon be announced in the 10-round co-feature. We already know who he is but a contracts administration is preventing GYM to disclose his name for the moment. A hint: he has fought over a 10 rounds fight against universally acclaimed middleweight champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez. Lemieux is a Montreal fan-favorite because of he is a powerful, offensive-minded fighter without compromise.

Eleider Alvarez vs. Edison Miranda

Multi-talented North American Boxing Organization (NABO light heavyweight champion and adopted Quebec son, Eleider “Storm” Alvarez (10-0, 6 KOs) takes on heavy-handed Colombian Edison “Pantera” Miranda (35-8, 30 KOs) in a 12-round NABO title defense. Alvarez faces the stiffest test of his young career in the 43-fight veteran, 31-year-old Miranda. Miranda wanted Pascal as his opponent and he was promised a shot, if he defeats his Dec. 14th opponent. Since his third-round, technical knockout loss to Lucian Bute for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super middleweight title in 2010, Miranda moved up to fight in light heavyweight division. Although he’s lost three of his last five fights at 175-pounds, losing top leading prospects, Miranda’s power and Kamikaze-style of fighting represents a constant danger to everyone and keeps spectators fascinated. Alvarez’s coach, Marc Ramsay, commented, “A while ago, ‘Storm’ asked me to fight Miranda because he hates his attitude and personality. This will be a very personal fight for him; a very emotional battle ahead!”

Kevin Bizier & Logan McGuinness remain active

Also in action in the Dec. 14th event is fearsome slugger and reigning NABA welterweight champion, Kevin Bizier (18-0, 13 KOs), from Quebec city, who returns to the ring in a fight allowing him to remain active in preparation for his very important fight on the February 8 Fast & Furious show. Another NABA champion, super featherweight Logan McGuinness (18-0-1, 9 KOs), of Orangeville, Ontario, a protégé of Adam Harris, will defend his crown in a 12-round bout. McGuinness is not a stranger in Montreal, where he has fought five times, knocking out Drumondville’s Benoit Gaudet in 2011.

GYM will present a total of seven professional fights with more details coming shortly.

The Dec. 14th event will be available for viewing by fans in the comfort of their homes via Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw TV in Canada, as well as on WealthTV in the United States.

GYM wishes to thank its key partners, including Pierre Bibeau of Loto Quebec, Robert Dépatie of Videotron, Pierre Dion of TVA Sports, Jacques Aubé of Evenko, Charles Benoit and Martin Spalding from Astral Radio, Coors Light, Marc Roberge, Martin Trudel and Guy St-Pierre of Tonikgroupimage, Marcel Savard of BLlitho, Houston restaurants, Adidas and Rival. Almost all have been with GYM since its beginning and their participation is as important as it’s appreciated.

Tickets are on sale now for the Dec. 14 event at the Bell Centre, as well as the entire GYM boxing series, the innovative and popular “Fast and Furious.” Tickets, starting at $36.00, are available to purchase at the Bell Centre, or at evenko.ca, or by calling GYM at (514) 383.0666. Season tickets for the next three Fast & Furious series events for a significant discount on reserved seats.

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About Groupe Yvon Michel Inc:

Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM) was founded in 2004. The organization’s mission is the development of high-level boxers, supported by coaching and management for competition. To achieve its objectives, GYM actively recruits talent and organizes events. Since its inception eight years ago, GYM has produced 106 events, including historical ticket sales and PPV viewership for Pascal vs. Hopkins I and II. GYM has produced more than 300 hours of television with Canal Indigo, Bell TV, Shaw TV, TVA Sports, VOX, TVA, CBC, RDS and V, in Canada, as well as HBO, Showtime and ESPN in the United States. A total of six different GYM boxers have participated in 16 world championship fights. Under the tutelage of GYM, Joachim Alcine captured the WBA super welterweight title in 2007, and Jean Pascal the WBC light heavyweight crown in 2009.

After the hand injury suffered by former Light Heavyweight champion Jean Pascal that forced the postponed the fight with IBF champion Tavoris Cloud, the potentially explosive co-feature pitting Adonis Stevenson and Donovan George will be rescheduled quickly as per Dan Rafael of espn.com

The fight was to take place on August 11th in Montreal could land in late August or Early September and the winner will be in line to face IBF champion Carl Froch

The much anticipated August 11th IBF Light Heavyweight title bout bout between champion Tavoris Cloud and Jean Pascal has been postponed due to a hand injury suffered by Pascal.

“Don (King) called and told us the fight has been postponed but we’re continuing to train,” said Cloud’s trainer Al Bononni from Cloud’s training camp in Ohio.

“It’s disappointing, however, I don’t believe he has a hand injury,” Cloud said. “We believe he was unprepared for the fight on Aug. 11 so he had to use politics and try to maneuver himself out of an ass whipping. I’ll wait for him. It gives me more confidence because I know I got the edge on him and I’m not gonna give up the edge. I’m gonna keep the pressure on him.”

“I just can’t believe he is doing this,” Bonanni said. “I think he has known for some time that he was not fit to fight for whatever reason. He hasn’t fought for (more than a year). We would have just destroyed him. We would have gone through him like (expletive) through a goose. Whether it’s his hand, or his weight, or he has no (expletive), is of no consequence to us. It’s just typical in the life of Tavoris Cloud. We’re always ready and then something comes up.

“We want to reschedule the fight. If he needs 30 days or whatever, we’ll give him the time.”

“(Pascal) has tried hard to fight through it with a cortisone shot and therapy but (Tuesday) morning our doctor, Dr. Francis Fontaine, said he was not giving him medical clearance for the fight,” wrote Pascal’s promoter Yvon Michel

“Jean was in good physical condition, his weight was good, his training camp was excellent and he was on target for his preparation,” Michel said. “He has tried extremely hard to convince us to let him fight believing he could beat Cloud with one hand like he did when he beat Adrian Diaconu with a dislocated shoulder in December 2009 (but) we were not going to let him jeopardize his career taking a fight injured.”

“Tavoris is in great shape and training hard and anxious to fight,” Alan Hopper, King’s spokesman said. “He’s at Don’s camp in Orwell, Ohio, working very hard and ready for this fight. Showtime only called us and told us that the conference call was canceled. But it wasn’t canceled because of any issues with the Cloud side of things.”

“We would have 13-14 weeks in camp by the time of the fight,” Bonanni said. “Our weight is 181 pounds, so we’re in great shape and ready and then we heard Pascal advised that he had injured his hand in training, so he needs to let it mend.”

“We’re going to stick it out in camp and, hopefully, Showtime will be true to their word and deliver this fight,” Bonanni said.

“I learned my lesson,” Cloud said. “I’m keeping the edge this time. I learned from what I’ve been through. I went home for a little while and came back at the beginning of the year, plus I had to change from a short righty (Erdei) to a tall lefty (Campillo). We know how to train now when these fights get postponed. I’m still training, I’ll still go running. I’ll probably go hunting.”

Reliable sources have told 15rounds.com that legendary world champion Bernard Hopkins will be a guest color analyst for the August 11 IBF Light Heavyweight title fight between champion Tavoris Cloud and Jean Pascal.

The source intimated that it could be more then just a coincidence that the future Hall of Famer was tabbed by Showtime as Hopkins has shown a desire to fight on and he is still the biggest name in the Light Heavyweight division.

Hopkins has two memorable fights with Pascal with a draw and then his historic win last May to become the oldest man to win a world championship and a fight with Pascal could be a fight that Hopkins could very well be interested in.

Hopkins is sitting in for Antonio Tarver, who tested positive for a banned substance following his June 2 fight with Lateef Kayode. Ironically Hopkins has a decision win over Tarver.

NEW YORK (May 29, 2012) – A light heavyweight world championship showdown—potentially the division’s best matchup in years between two young fighters in their prime—has been confirmed for Saturday, Aug. 11, at Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, when undefeated International Boxing Federation (IBF) light heavyweight champion Tavoris Cloud (24-0, 19 KOs), of Tallahassee, Fla., defends his title against popular hometown favorite and former World Boxing Council (WBC) light heavyweight titleholder Jean Pascal (26-2-1, 16 KOs) on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING live on SHOWTIME®.

The co-feature will match budding Canadian knockout artist Adonis “Superman” Stevenson, (18-1, 15 KOs) of Montreal (Canada), against an opponent to be announced in a super middleweight bout.

Cloud is known as a no-nonsense power puncher, who comes right at his opponents with few frills. Pascal may not equal Cloud in work rate, but his footwork and explosive combinations make for a compelling matchup between ferocious punchers. Both men will be coming in to not only win, but to make a statement as the best puncher in one of boxing’s glamor divisions.

The 5-foot-10, 30-year-old Cloud will be making the fifth defense of the then-vacant 175-pound title he won via 12-round unanimous decision over Clinton Woods on Aug. 28, 2009. The hard-hitting, 29-year-old successfully defended against Glen Johnson (unanimous decision, June 7, 2010), Fulgencio Zuniga (unanimous decision, Dec. 17, 2010) and Yusaf Mack (TKO 8, June 28, 2011) before winning a controversial split decision over Gabriel Campillo in February.

“This fight with Jean Pascal is a bout I’m looking forward to,” said Cloud. “It’s going to be what I call a ‘Release the Kraken’ match. Everybody knows I come to fight. What I like about Pascal is that he doesn’t fool around either. When I look for him, he will be there, and the same goes for me.

“Fans like to see leather thrown with bad intentions, and that’s what they are going to get in Montreal on August 11.”

The 5-foot-10 ½-inch, 29-year-old Pascal is currently ranked No. 2 by” The Ring” and in the top 10 in three of the four major organizations. Since his first world title fight in 2009, Pascal has defeated Chad Dawson (via 11th-round technical decision in 2010), Adrian Diaconu twice and fought the legendary Bernard Hopkins to a thrilling draw in December 2010. In the second of back-to-back meetings with Hopkins last May, Pascal lost his title by a very close decision.

“First, I want to thank Tavoris Cloud for giving me the opportunity to fight for his IBF light heavyweight belt and to prove who I really am in the ring,” said Pascal. “He has shown true class seeking out the best challenger in the division and for this he has my full respect. Our styles make for the best, most explosive and spectacular fight possible in boxing. Having been away from the ring for more than a year, I am hungrier and more determined than ever to get back on top. Don’t miss it August 11 in Montreal. I am going to get back on the throne for good.”

Throughout a career that began in August 2004, Cloud has been a road warrior. He’s fought only three times in his native Florida. Pascal, conversely, has had all but two of his fights in Canada.

Stevenson has notched 15 knockouts in 19 professional fights in his climb up the rankings. The Canadian southpaw super middleweight is currently No. 2 in IBF, No. 3 in WBC and No. 7 in the World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Organization (WBO).

“I am so proud to be making my SHOWTIME debut fighting in this major event in Montreal,” said Stevenson. “I am on a mission to destroy anybody that has the courage to get in the ring with me. I am not looking for any favors or compassion. My goal is to show the world that I truly deserve to be on a major network fighting Carl Froch for his IBF belt. Watch me make a major statement August 11 on SHOWTIME.”

Trained by the renowned Emmanuel Steward, Stevenson got a late start in the professional ranks with a 2006 debut at the age of 29. Now a six year pro, Stevenson has maintained his penchant for knockouts as he’s stepped up the class of competition. In his last five starts, against opponents with a combined record of 107-8, he has overwhelmed them all, winning four of five inside three rounds. The lone exception is a ninth-round KO of Aaron Pryor Jr.

In all, 12 of his 15 knockouts have come inside three rounds.

The 5-foot-11, 34-year-old Stevenson won a WBC Silver belt with a second-round TKO over Noe Gonzalez (27-1 going in) in his most recent outing last April 20 at Bell Centre.

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, visit the website at http://sports.SHO.com.

About Showtime Networks Inc.:

Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2™, SHOWTIME® SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME®, SHOWTIME BEYOND®, SHOWTIME NEXT®, SHOWTIME WOMEN®, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD™, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND® and THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV®.