Badou Jack ready for Pascal rematch

Two-division world champion Badou Jack and veteran contender Luis Arias previewed their respective showdowns during a Las Vegas media workout Tuesday, before they step in the ring for separate attractions of the Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul SHOWTIME PPV undercard on Sunday, June 6 from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

Jack will return to the ring for a rematch against WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Jean Pascal, while Arias squares off against former unified champion “Swift” Jarrett Hurd on the pay-per-view.

BADOU JACK

“Floyd called me in January last year and told me the rematch was on for April. That was last year. It’s been done since we walked out of the ring the first time, but I’m happy it’s finally done. I’m happy it’s here and I’m ready to put on a show.

“I’m trying to perfect everything in preparation for this matchup. Better nutrition. Better conditioning. Better sparring. I’m trying to be better at everything.

“This is my second fight with my new trainer Johnathan Banks. The first was just a tune-up fight. It wasn’t a high-level fight. It was an eight-rounder, so it was just like a sparring session. But I’m in way better shape than I was in the last camp and I’m ready to go.

“My fight is going to be a hell of a fight. Everybody knows that. It was a Fight of the Year contender last time. Floyd vs. Logan is going to be entertainment. That’s a different kind of fight, but Floyd is going to put on a show. All of the eyeballs are going to be on that night so it’s going to be a great night.

“Pascal likes trying to get under my skin, but I’m too calm. I’m too confident for that. At the end of the day, he’s a veteran, I’m a veteran and it’s going to be a great fight night.

“I thought I won the first fight. 75 percent of everybody that watched the fight thought I won. There was only one judge that had experience, Julie Lederman, and she had me winning. The other two might have scored his so-called punches but it is what it is.

“Johnathan Banks is my new coach. He’s great. He’s only a year older than me so we have great chemistry together and everything has been working great. It was a little hard in the beginning to adjust to certain things, but now in camp I feel great in sparring and everything we’re doing right now.”

LUIS ARIAS

“It feels amazing to be involved in this event. For a fighter like me who’s been up and down, who was undefeated at one point and then lost it all, went from being one of the best to being overlooked, to be able to fight my way through and to be able to keep fighting and keep working to get back on this big stage is truly a blessing. I’m happy. I’m blessed. I can’t wait to get on that stage.

“Boxing is my life and I had to make the necessary changes to get back to this level. I’ve already been to the highest level and I fell short. I got the experience of being there, I know what I need to do to get there and I made those necessary changes. It’s one of the reasons I came back to Vegas, to start training over here to get that experience, to get to that level and to get better. That’s what I’ve been doing and that’s why I’ve been able to prove that I still belong. Floyd saw it. I sparred Floyd. He sees that I still got it and I’m making the changes. He sees how my body is changing and he sees that I can still compete.”

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  • Boulderdash n popycacha ..Nevermind Truedeau and Expanding Viking influence. My man Jean la foote. should get the gold star in what he deserves. Knocked down Hopkins 3 x and to my minds eye beat him both times as a fresh fish, Undisputed unified Light Heavyweight Champeen. Comes out of the raised crypt with the powerfull right…Humble to a fault may we.10 years later….Im callin yu all out..No Josephine hear..Bivol…Gvosyk..Beterbiev….Smith…n Wetson…Take it dont have it granted. Misstour Pascal. Aristeed..And Thumb.

      • All this guy does is babble.
        Check out his previous posts to see what I mean.

        • Pascal is very dangerous with his counters. Pascal has the capability to turn a fightback in his favor with those counter punches at any given time.

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