Golden Boy wins Hopkins – Pascal II purse bid

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, Golden Boy Promotions won the purse bid to stage the anticipated rematch between World Light Heavyweight champion Jean Pascal and Bernard Hopkins that will take place on May 21st.

“(Pascal’s promoter) Yvon (Michel) could not come to an agreement with Pascal, so this means he will go back to Canada to meet with Pascal and try to work something out, but the plan is still for the fight to happen May 21 on HBO,” Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer said. “I don’t know what Yvon offered to Pascal, but I know it was more than what he would be entitled to from the purse bid.”

“The potential sites I listed on my bid were Montreal, Quebec City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles or Philadelphia,” Schaefer said. “We want to see where we can maximize the revenues. Yvon is going back to Pascal to work out a deal. Bernard and Golden Boy, we have a deal, so we are ready to go.

“As Bernard has said, he is willing to go back to Canada, assuming that it’s neutral officials. Bernard was very impressed with the fan support he got in Quebec City. By the end of the night the crowd was cheering, ‘Hopkins! Hopkins!’ So he has no problem going back to Canada, but it has to be neutral officials. If not, the fight will take place in the United States.”

“I am convinced the fight will happen,” Schaefer said. “It’s the fight they both want and we already have television lined up and interest from venues. Yvon and Pascal couldn’t agree on a purse amount, so it went to a bid and now it is settled.”