Who Won the Weekend? Jean Pascal, Age 37, Soldiers On, Impresses NYF Squad

Boxing is the theater of the unexpected, we know that. But sometimes the outcome isn't of the shocker surprise variety, but more so a sort of fizzle out deal.

I would have expected Gervonta Davis to win the weekend. But that's not what the NYF Squad and extended fam say…

“Jean Pascal vs Badou Jack (see picture, below, all pics by Amanda Westcott) won the weekend! Two fighters that are past their prime putting it all on the line and it made for an entertaining rumble,” said Abe Gonzalez, NY Fights bureau chief. “They stole the show on Saturday night and won the weekend! I don't think anyone would mind seeing them “run it back” in the immediate future.

“I don't know how it's not Yuriorkis Gambia,” said NYFights senior writer John Gatling. “If Cuba is anywhere close to the resilience and resourcefulness he showed in surviving Gervonta “Tank” Davis before being run over by his Achilles heel, then Che Guevara is a little more than a t-shirt. Recall any athlete from say the NBA or NFL who'd suffered a ruptured Achilles, and you witnessed one of the great athletes in the world walk away from competition in utter agony. For a 38 year-old all but shot fighter — gunned down by Terence Crawford a few years ago — to survive the highly touted Tank into the 12th round, in the grueling sport of boxing, with a torn Achilles heel… I don't know. He may need to wear a #23 jersey and the WWTW Fighter of The Year.”

“Gervonta Davis won the weekend with his 12-round KO of Yuriorkis Gamboa,” said Kelsey McCarson, of Gambling.com. “Davis may have given himself a C+ for his performance, but he does the two things that matter most in boxing. He sells tickets, and he knocks people out. Davis is still only 25 years old, and he probably has the best part of his career ahead of him. He's special.”

“Did anyone think we'd be talking about Jean Pascal in any serious way after he got outclassed by Dmitry Bivol last year and had lost 4 of 8 fights before taking on the then undefeated Marcus Browne in August,” asked David Phillips, film and fight analyst. “He stole Browne's 0 and earned a split decision W over Badou Jack this weekend. He may never be an all-time great, but he has found some fresh fuel in the tank when he looked to be past E and way in the red not so long ago. I'd also like to throw in a shout out to Gervonta Davis and Yuriorkis Gamboa. Davis controlled most of the fight, but Gamboa proved himself a brave warrior before getting stopped by a vicious uppercut by Davis in the 12th. At one time, Gamboa looked like a potential world-beater. He may not be that anymore, but he is a FIGHTER. And Davis is on what looks to be a very special path.”

“Jean Pascal won the weekend,” said You Tube fixture Rachel McCarson. “I often find myself in linear thinking, yet life rarely unfolds in linear fashion. And this applies to Pascal, where a hard fought, 12 rounds ends in his favor when many thought his career had already peaked and was all descent moving forward. Instead he walks away with a notable win over a worthy opponent. Congratulations to Pascal.”

“Jean Pascal definitely won the weekend,” said Chris Glover, the fighter/analyst. “In my opinion he was gifted a decision against Badou Jack. No disrespect to Pascal, he just didn’t win that fight, so Pascal for me.”

“Pascal won the weekend,” said Jay Bulger, film director and actor, and ex amateur boxer. “To be successfully defending the belt, at this point in his career, is not what anyone would have predicted a few years ago. He’s such a professional. Always in great shape. Respect.”

Said John Vena, fight game lifer, “Pascal all the way.”

Wilder and Fury won the weekend, as they’ll be the talk of the boxing world after their announcement now through February,” said Josh Friedman of SiriusXM.

“Jean Pascal won the weekend, regardless of how you scored his 12-round barn-burner against Badou Jack,” said fight writer Alden Chodash. “Going into 2019, the thought of Pascal fighting top notch light-heavyweight opposition didn't sit well with many boxing fans, even his most ardent supporters in Canada who feared for his health following the fearsome beatings he took against Sergey Kovalev and Dmitry Bivol. However, Pascal has shocked the world in 2019 with his stunning performances against Marcus Browne and now Badou Jack, two 175-lb contenders who were expected to use Pascal as mere stepping stones in their pursuit of the light-heavyweight title. Now it's Pascal who has punched his ticket back into light-heavyweight title contention, nearly stopping Badou Jack in the 4th and surviving a late rally to win a razor-thin split decision. For his efforts, Jean Pascal has won this weekend and should enjoy himself a merry holiday season.”

“Jean Pascal won the weekend,” said analyst Brendan Long. “His career looked all about through a few years back. Close win over Badou Jack to retain his portion of the light heavyweight championship has him our weekend winner. Honorable mention goes to Gamboa's heart. Almost made the final bell against a young bull in Gervonta Davis on one leg. At 38 his best days are behind him but this was the type of performance that wins fans over.”

“Jean Pascal had a big weekend, but Lionell Thompson's win against Jose Uzcategui gives him the “W” for the weekend,” said Jeremy Herriges. “With five losses on his record, it was unlikely that he would defeat Uzcategui. However, Thompson wasn't intimidated by Uzcategui's lore of being a power-punching former world champion. He boxed circles around Uzcategui and made him look like an amateur. Pascal's win was debatable in terms of the scorecards, where Thompson's was dominant, which is why he edges out Pascal.”