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Haitian-born Canadian to make U.S. debut tonight at Hard Rock

January 11, 2008

Jean Pascal was posing for photographs on the beach along Hollywood Broadwalk when he began to attract a large crowd of French-Canadian snowbirds and tourists.

"It is like this pretty much everywhere he goes where there are Canadians; he is very popular in Canada," trainer Marc Ramsey said. "It's the way he treats people ... you are born with that or not. Everyone feels it."

The 2004 Olympian and undefeated pro will see if he can generate that same kind of feeling when the Haitian-born Canadian makes his U.S. boxing debut tonight on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights card at the Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena.

Pascal (20-0, 14 KOs) will fight Omar Pittman of Philadelphia (15-3-1, 8 KOs) in a 10-round super middleweight co-main event.

In the other 10-rounder, Colombian Edison Miranda of Hollywood (29-2, 25 KOs) will fight David Banks of Portland, Ore. (15-3-1, 2 KOs). Both fights will be televised by ESPN2 at 9 p.m.

If Pascal and Miranda win, they will fight June 7 in Montreal, where boxing crowds, especially when Pascal fights, average 15,000 fans.

"I can't wait to make my debut in the states," Pascal said. "Everyone knows this is the country where dreams come true.

"I want to show the American people these boxers are good but I am better. I know it is difficult to impress the Americans because the country is so big. I want to be their French Connection. I hope they love me."

A seven-time national champion, Pascal, 25, made his pro debut Feb. 3, 2005 in Montreal. He had several offers from U.S. promoters but is fiercely loyal when it comes to his adopted country.

"We are going to put Quebec on the international map in boxing," Pascal said. "Right now boxing is really hot in Canada, especially Quebec … right after hockey."

When Pascal was 4, his mother, a nurse, and older brother left Port-au-Prince, Haiti, for a better life and education. They settled in Laval, Quebec, just outside of Montreal. His father, a well-respected politician, remained in Haiti.

"They wanted big things and big goals for us," Pascal said. "My mom told me I could do anything I want except boxing because she didn't want me to hurt my pretty face. It helped when my older brother boxed," Pascal said.

Pascal played hockey and soccer but fell in love with boxing after watching his older brother, Nicholson Poulard, a former Quebec champion, box.

Pascal was 5 feet 2, 96 pounds and 14 when he stepped into a ring and turned out to be the best amateur in Canada.

The power puncher with quick feet was 103-18 as an amateur and was the only fighter to be named Boxer of the Year in Canada three times (2001-2003).

"You see a natural talent like Jean maybe every 15 years ... pure talent like Oscar De La Hoya or Roy Jones Jr. ... I think Jean is that class of fighter," Ramsey said. "He is the package deal in boxing; he tries to back up everything he says and does."

Pascal holds the NABA, NABO and NABF super middleweight titles and is ranked among the world's top 10 by all four major boxing organizations.

Honoring his parents' wishes to complete his education, Pascal was an honor student at Ecole Secondaire George Vanier and College Ahuntsic's elite police training program.

For now, the police force will have to wait. Pascal not only wants to be a world champion, but the unified champion in super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.

"I know Shaquille O'Neal wants to be a sheriff in Miami so maybe later on when I am done with boxing, I will be a sheriff like Shaq," Pascal said.

Mixed martial arts

Tickets go on sale today for the Feb. 16 Elite XC's Mega-Mixed Martial Arts card featuring Kimbo Slice fighting David Abbott in a Showtime-televised card at the University of Miami's BankUnited Center.

Brazilian heavyweight Antonio Silva of American Top Team in Coconut Creek is also on the card.

Tickets start at $35 and are available through Ticketmaster.