Pascal Says He Didn’t Take PEDs, Coach Heredia Says He Had Nothing To Do With Any Of It

Jean Pascal, age 38, has tested positive for three different banned substances, and so his June 6 light heavyweight fight against Badou Jack, a rematch to be featured on the Floyd Mayweather-Logan Paul exhibition undercard, is cancelled.

The Haitian-Canadian Pascal holds a 35-6-1, 20 KOs record, and the Montreal resident took to social media to respond to the news, which dropped Friday, of the results reported by VADA, the testing organization.

Pascal has been working out in Puerto Rico, and has been impressed with Jake Paul, newly signed to Showtime.

“I am shocked and embarrassed,” read the message from the Pascal account on Twitter. “I would never voluntarily take illegal substances. I’ve always fought for a clean sport and will continue to do so. I’m one of the first modern boxers to insist on random testing and I’ve passed countless tests during my 13 years at the highest level of boxing. I want to assure all my fans that this is an isolated incident and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to prove it. My strength and conditioning coach was fired last night,” he wrote.

He didn’t name that coach, though he has worked with Memo Heredia in the past. I messaged both Pascal, and Heredia, to ascertain if Heredia is the person he is referring to. Pascal I didn’t hear back from but Heredia I did, off Twitter messaging.

“Memo, you were Jean’s S n G coach? Did he fire you, as he asserted in a Tweet? I’m doing a story for Bad Left Hook, fill me in if you can,” I wrote.

“Fired me? I been in Vegas for months and I haven’t been in PR since felix verdejo era,” he replied. “Get your facts right my man. Why don’t you ask Pascal? My advise to you is stop fishing or assuming & get off your desk to do some investigative work…Your credibility depends on it.”

I wasn’t having it. “Dude, don’t give me fucking attitude,” I wrote back to Heredia. “He said he fired his guy, he didn’t name his guy.” Going conciliatory after getting salty at his partial-punk response didn’t work.

“What’s your problem,” Heredia said.

I again tried to get the back and forth on a less contentious plane. “People are saying it’s you. I’m asking you for your side.”

“Why you talking to me like that,” he continued.

“I’m doing my job and you are coming at me with attitude,” I said.

“Be professional & do not disrespect me, I have always respected you. Cool Michael. God bless,” he said.

I pointed out that THIS was on him, and antagonistic for no reason: “Stop fishing or assuming & get off your desk to do some investigative work..” That wording is disrespectful, I informed Heredia.

“Ok you right, my English could be rough… but yours too…Ok, no problem, all good here and have a good weekend,” he finished.

“Memo, I asked politely for you to respond, to tell me if the information out there is wrong. And you came at me, hard, telling me to “stop fishing.” You insulted me after I was perfectly polite. Then I defended myself. OK, if it’s a language thing, OK, but I am polite and professional, I try my best, but I damn well do come back at anyone who goes at me. I got your response, I will put it in the story. Good day.”

Back to the Pascal Tweet statement, one day after the news of the PED misstep dropped:

“I realize that no matter what I say, this is a stain on my name and l’m determined to wash it out,” Pascal continued. “If that means I have to come out of pocket for the most advanced 365 days random VADA testing available to boxers than that’s what I’ll do.”

Jack owns a 23-3-3, 13 KOs mark. The 37 year old Las Vegas resident fought Pascal on December 28, 2019 and Pascal won a split decision to hold on to the light heavyweight title he wrested from Marcus Browne in September 2019. The Pascal win was a doozy, both boxers hit the mat, Jack in the fourth and Pascal in round 12.

Jack isn’t having it, he’s been very up front that he thinks Pascal cuts corners: