Photo by Will Hart
In the co-main event of Kovalev-Mohammedi, Jean Pascal (33-3-1, 17 KOs) scored a controversial unanimous decision victory over Yunieski Gonzalez (16-1, 12 KOs) at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The fight was supposed to set up a rematch between Pascal and Kovalev, but because he had so much trouble in a fight many felt he lost, a rematch seems unlikely.
Pascal and Gonzalez traded bombs early as Gonzalez pushed forward to land shots to the body.
Gonzalez is a Cuban native, but the 30-year-old does not fight in what has been deemed the typical Cuban style of boxing, which includes lots of movement and counterpunching.
Instead, Gonzalez pushed forward with a high guard and landed powerful right hands and Pascal, while the 32-year-old Canadian tried desperately to keep him off him.
Pascal seemed to do better in the middle rounds as Gonzalez grew tired, and Pascal managed to land jabs and overhand rights.
Nevertheless, Gonzalez’ relentless come-forward approach had Pascal on the receiving end of powerful left hooks going into the final rounds.
Despite Gonzalez’s excellent performance, he did not get the win on the judges’ scorecards.
All judges scored the fight 96-94 as Gonzalez soon began to weep at the decision.
“This fight was stolen from me. It was stolen from my team, it was stolen from my manager, it was stolen from the people of Cuba and it was stolen from my daughter,” said Gonzalez at the post fight press conference.
Do you think Gonzalez did enough to win? Does Pascal really deserve a rematch with Kovalev?
Let us know what you think in the comments section.
#PascalGonzalez pic.twitter.com/gapBW4G8dr
— RoundByRoundBoxing (@RBRBoxing) July 26, 2015
Quotes provided by @DeportesCubanoUSA
