Moments ago, WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal barely kept his title, scoring a draw with future Hall of Famer Bernard Hopkins at the Pepsi Coliseum in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Using his speed and movement, Pascal outhustled Hopkins early in the fight, scoring two knockdowns, but the 45-year-old finished strong. Looking like the younger of the two fighters, it was Hopkins who pressed the action from the middle rounds on while Pascal faded badly down the stretch. In the end, the judges scored the bout 114-112 (Hopkins), 113-113 and 114-114, making it a majority draw. Relive all the action in FightHype's in-depth minute-by-minute round-by-round results.
PREFIGHT
The challenger, 45-year-old Bernard Hopkins, comes out first wearing what looks like a black ski mask. He gives his trademark throat slash as a chorus of boos is rained down on him by the fans. The champion, Jean Pascal, comes out next to a sea of cheers. He looks confident.
ROUND 1
Hopkins immediately takes the center of the ring. Pascal cautious as he circles from the outside. Left hook from Pascal, but a right hand from Hopkins lands in return. Hopkins pressing the attack and lands a body shot. Double jab from Hopkins is blocked, but it backs Pascal up. Pascal not really doing much. Hopkins comes in with a right, but he eats a counter left from Pascal. Woooo...nice left hook from Pascal catches Hopkins. Now Hopkins lands a left to the body. HARD right hand lands for Pascal. 1-2 to the body lands for Hopkins, but Pascal catches him on the back of the head and Hopkins is down. Looked like a push down, but it counts. Hopkins just smiles and complains a little to the ref. Round to Pascal.
Pascal 10 Hopkins 8
ROUND 2
Pascal looks a little more energetic as he comes out. Hopkins trying to walk him down and cut off the ring. They trade jabs. Big left hook from Pascal misses, but the crowd reacts. Hopkins lands a right down the middle, but Pascal catches him with a left hook counter upstairs. A lot of posturing by both men this round. Short right hand lands on the inside for Hopkins. HARD leaping left hook from Pascal lands upstairs right at the bell. Not much to choose from, but round to Pascal for landing the better shots.
Pascal 20 Hopkins 17
ROUND 3
Quick jab from Pascal snaps the head back of Hopkins. Another quick left hand from Pascal catches Hopkins. Left hook to the body lands for Hopkins. Now Pascal pressing the fight while Hopkins circles. Nice left hook lands for Hopkins. Left hook lands for Pascal and another and Hopkins is down. WOW. Hopkins smiles and gets up. He looks okay. Pascal tries to jump on him, but Hopkins avoids any damage. The bell rings, but Hopkins continues to fire punches on Pascal in the corner. Wow. Round to Pascal.
Pascal 30 Hopkins 25
ROUND 4
HARD right to the body lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands a hard short right on the inside. Pascal misses with a sloppy left hook. Hopkins lands a nice shot to the body. Another nice left to the body lands for Hopkins. They trade jabs. Woooooo....HARD left hook upstairs lands for Hopkins. Pascal ties him up. Pascal skips a right off the head of Hopkins. Nice 1-2 to the body lands for Hopkins. Pascal catches him to the back of the head and Hopkins slips down again. No knockdown. Nice jab lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands another shot to the back of the head of Hopkins. Round to Hopkins.
Pascal 39 Hopkins 35
ROUND 5
Quick short left hook just misses for Hopkins. Stiff jab lands for Hopkins. Right to the body lands for Hopkins. HARD left hook to the body lands for Hopkins and Pascal dances away. Pascal keeping that left hand prety low now. Left hook upstairs lands for Pascal. HARD right to the body lands for Pascal and Hopkins backs up. Double jab lands for Hopkins. Pascal literally runs across the ring and misses with a left. Close round so far. 1-2 lands for Hopkins, but Pascal answers with one of his own. BIG left hook lands for Pascal upstairs. Nice right to the body lands for Hopkins. Hopkins lands a shot down the middle, but he eats a bigger one in return from Pascal. Close round, but I give it to Hopkins.
Pascal 48 Hopkins 45
ROUND 6
Hopkins sneaks in a left hook. Pascal dances around on the outside. Nice right hand downstairs and another upstairs lands for Hopkins. Hopkins digs some hard shots to the body on the inside. Pascal wasting so much energy dancing on the outside for no reason. Hopkins tags him with a nice left hook. HARD left hook to the body lands for Hopkins, but Pascal catches him with a nice counter left. Nice right hand from Hopkins catches Pascal against the ropes. Pascal looks like he's trying to conserve energy. Round to Hopkins.
Pascal 57 Hopkins 55
ROUND 7
Short right hand lands for Hopkins. HARD left hook to the body lands for Hopkins. Pascal on the retreat. Hopkins pressing forward. Another left to the body lands for Hopkins. Right hand upstairs backs Pascal up. Another hard left hook to the body lands for Hopkins. Right and another left lands for Hopkins. Pascal not doing anything right now. Quick right lands for Hopkins. Pascal ties him up. Wooooooo...another HARD left hook to the body lands for Hopkins. Pascal on the retreat. Counter right upstairs lands for Hopkins. Pascal getting chopped up in there. Left hook upstairs lands for Hopkins. This is all Bernard Hopkins right now as Pascal looks fatigued in there. Round to Hopkins.
Pascal 66 Hopkins 65
ROUND 8
HARD right hand lands for Hopkins and Pascal ties him up. Hopkins starting to land his jab pretty easily now. Hopkins eats a left, but taunts Pascal by sticking his chin out. Both men doing a lot of posturing again. Pascal lands a left hook and ties him up. Quick right lands for Pascal. Left and a quick 1-2 lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands a couple of shots to the back of the head on the inside. Close round, but I give it to Pascal.
Pascal 76 Hopkins 74
ROUND 9
Short right over the top lands for Hopkins. Quick 1-2 lands for Hopkins again. Wooooo...HARD uppercut lands for Hopkins. Both men trade on the inside. Nice right hand down the middle and an uppercut lands for Hopkins. Short left hook lands for Hopkins. Pascal gets a warning for another shot to the back of the head. BIG right hand over the top lands for Hopkins again. Another. WOOOOO...short left hook lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands a right upstairs. Nice left hook lands for Hopkins. Pascal answers with a right. Round to Hopkins.
Pascal 85 Hopkins 84
ROUND 10
Short left hook lands for Hopkins. Nice left to the body and a right hand upstairs lands for Hopkins. Pascal misses with a chopping right. Nice right hand down the middle lands for Hopkins. Woooo...another right hand from Hopkins lands. 1-2 lands for Hopkins. Pascal not doing much. Now he lands a left hook and immediately holds on to Hopkins. WOOOOOO...another hard right and a left hook lands for Hopkins. Pascal fading big time and just not doing anything. Now Pascal lands an overhand right, but Hopkins lands one of his own. Right and a left lands for Hopkins. Round to Hopkins.
Pascal 94 Hopkins 94
ROUND 11
Quick right and a left lands for Hopkins. They trade on the inside. Right hand lands for Hopkins. Pascal fires back with one of his own. Both men trade shots. Quick right lands for Hopkins. Left hook lands for Hopkins. Big left upstairs and a hard body shot lands for Hopkins. Pascal looks wobbly. Right and a left lands for Hopkins, who's pressing the attack as though he wants a knockout. Both men trade on the inside again. Pascal on his toes dancing away. STIFF jab from Hopkins snaps the head back of Pascal. Pascal trips on the feet of Hopkins. No knockdown. Hard body shot lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands a couple of uppercuts. Round to Hopkins.
Pascal 103 Hopkins 104
ROUND 12
Hopkins comes out quick and lands a couple of right hands. Hopkins jumps on Pascal and works the body against the ropes. HARD left to the body lands for Hopkins. Pascal lands a right and ties him up. Hopkins mugs and mauls his way in and works Pascal on the inside. Pascal retreats, but Hopkins jumps on him again. WOOOO....BIG left hook lands for Hopkins and he continues to work Pascal against the ropes. Another left lands for Hopkins. Pascal sneaks in a right, but he continues to retreat. Hard right lands for Hopkins. They trade on the inside and the crowd is on its feet. Hopkins lands a 1-2 and smiles. Both men trae big shots right at the bell. Hopkins raises his hands to the crowd and smiles, while Pascal walks to his corner happy to have made it the distance. He thinks he got it. I do too, but will the judges? Round to Hopkins.
Pascal 112 Hopkins 114
Official judges scorecards: 114-112 (Hopkins), 113-113 (Draw), 114-114 (Draw)
THE WINNER...NEITHER...BUT JEAN PASCAL RETAINS HIS WBC LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
PUNCHSTAT NUMBERS
Hopkins total punches: 171/445
Pascal total punches: 105/353
Hopkins power punches: 141/270
Pascal power punches: 85/196
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