Dmitry Bivol continues winning ways with UD victory over Jean Pascal

Dmitry Bivol is the future of the light heavyweight division, but Jean Pascal refused to lay down against the younger fighter.

On Saturday, Nov. 24, Dimitry Bivol and Jean Pascal fought in HBO’s last televised boxing event. HBO boxing started in 1973 when George Foreman leveled Joe Frazier in two rounds. Bivol and Pascal closed their boxing coverage more than 45 years later in a spirited but one-sided light heavyweight title fight.

Pascal came out in the first round swinging wildly. He didn’t throw his punches to land, but they kept Bivol off of him for a short time. Bivol stayed patient and used his jab to break down the distance. Within the last 40 seconds, Bivol’s hand speed advantage over Pascal was clear after his punch output increased.

Pascal snuck in a right hand early in the second round, but it was one of the few clean punches he would land. Bivol took over with crisp combinations. His jab landed like a power shot and his right hurt Pascal every time it connected. Pascal barely threw a punch for the last minute. Bivol wore him down by doubling down on the left hand.

Bivol’s jab flew in Pascal’s face constantly for the first minute of the third. Pascal looked faded and ate a lot of Bivol’s best shots. Pascal’s legs looked uneasy, and his head movement was stiff and at times non-existent. He was trying to survive and doing a bad job of it.

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Pascal tried to mount an offense in the fourth, and he even landed a left to Bivol’s body and a right to his head, but they didn’t hurt Bivol. Pascal tried to play with Bivol by shaking his head, but Bivol tagged him with a left hook that landed flush on the side of his head. Pascal hit the canvas after a Bivol right hand, but it was ruled a slip.

Bivol battered Pascal for the first minute of the fifth. Pascal took a lot of shots in the guard, but he didn’t throw a punch until midway through the round. He tried to bullrush Bivol but didn’t land anything. Bivol’s punches started to connect with piercing accuracy, and it was hard to see any way for Pascal to survive the punishment.

Pascal tried to jumpstart his attack at the start of the sixth throwing rights and lefts, but Bivol easily blocked his punches. Pascal hit Bivol with a telegraphed overhand right, but it didn’t move Bivol. Bivol was surgical with his jab. He connected with it almost every time he threw it. He changed levels throwing it to Pascal’s body and head.

Bivol tripled up his left hook to Pascal’s body and head to start the seventh. Even though Bivol landed many punches on Pascal throughout the round, he couldn’t put Pascal away. He couldn’t find the one blow to end the older fighter’s night.

Pascal sprung to life for the first 30 seconds of the eighth, but he couldn’t keep up the assault. Bivol stayed calm and came back with several left-right combinations. Pascal’s legs looked weary, but he stayed in front of Bivol and rallied with a three-punch combination to close the round.

The start of the ninth round was delayed after the tape came loose on Pascal’s glove and needed to be repaired. The round crawled by quietly, but Bivol landed combinations at will down the stretch. Somehow Pascal stayed on his feet.

Bivol flurried for the start of the 10th round, and Pascal offered nothing in return. Pascal absorbed punch after punch, but he didn’t wilt. Bivol’s energy faded and Pascal looked unintimidated. He didn’t win the round, but it was a moral victory.

Rounds 11 and 12 mimicked most of the fight. Bivol dominated the action, but Pascal stood his ground and finished the contest on his feet. It was no surprise when the unanimous decision victory in Bivol’s favor was announced. The judges handed down two scores of 119-109 and one of 117-111.

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Pascal exceeded expectations. He lost the fight, but he avoided a knockout loss and fought back with ferocity in small bursts. Pascal doesn’t have the best chin, but he showed a lot of heart against Bivol. Bivol is young and strong, but he lacks one-punch knockout power. He relies on technique and athleticism to win fights. The only other light heavyweight who can match his hype is Artur Beterbiev. Bivol is talented but he needs to beat a top-five light heavyweight to complete a takeover of the division.

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