CLOUD DRIFTING OVER MONTREAL FOR AUGUST 11

Press Release: IBF light heavyweight champion Tavoris "Thunder" Cloud will come to Montreal to defend his title against former world light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal in the main event on Saturday, August 11th. The event will be televised live on Showtime from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. For Cloud (24-0 with 19 KOs), a victory over Pascal (26-2-1 with 17 KOs) would cement his place as a legitimate champion as opposed to a mere titleholder. In his prime at age 30, Cloud is confident that his record will remain unblemished: "Pascal is a good boxer and I appreciate the fact that he agreed to face me. I am the bigger, stronger, faster and overall better boxer. Honestly I think I'll destroy what's left of his career on August 11th, and that is what I am setting out to do"

The stakes can not get any higher for Pascal at this stage of his career, as the former champion remains winless since his brilliant career-best performance against then undefeated pound-for-pound king Chad Dawson back in August 2010. His last two outings, closely-contested in front of sell-out crowds in Québec City and Montreal, saw Pascal unable to snatch a win away from future hall-of-famer Bernard Hopkins. Now over a year removed from his last fight, the 29 year old looks at August 11th as a must-win situation in order to get his career back on track, and his fans will be there right behind him:  “From my battle against Carl Froch in 2008 to my defeat to Bernard Hopkins 23 months later, I gave my fans eight exciting, intense fights and faced the best in my division. That is what I believe being a true champion is all about. I had not planned to be away from the ring for so long, but now the desire is burning hotter than ever to get back to the top. I truly appreciate the fact that Tavoris Cloud has agreed to put his belt on the line and come face me. He has my utmost respect. On August 11th, I am planning to return to the throne. I know it’s no easy task; Cloud always comes to fight with heart, intensity, and determination. But the bottom line is, he hasn’t fought anywhere near the opposition I have faced in my career so far. After this fight, Chad Dawson can no longer consider himself the King of the Light Heavyweight division, because I am taking that crown.”

Don King, Cloud’s promoter, has complete faith in Cloud: "This boxing match between my fighter Tavoris Cloud and Jean Pascal is the fight everyone wants to see at light heavyweight.  Cloud is the undefeated IBF champion, so all roads lead through him.  It is refreshing to see a fighter like Pascal who isn't trying to avoid Cloud like the others do. "I give Pascal credit for agreeing to fight this man in front of his fans in Montreal, but he's going up against a guy who really comes to fight.  Cloud has all the skills and tremendous punching power.  He will prevail in what will be a great fight."

According to Yvon Michel, President of Groupe Yvon Michel Inc, Pascal is more than ready for his return to the spotlight: “Jean Pascal wants to be back where he was a little over a year ago, so he didn’t hesitate at all in making the decision to take the necessary risks to get him there. He truly believes that in order to be the best you must face the best, and that’s exactly what he has been doing his entire career, never turning down a true challenge. He created an international shockwave when he defeated Chad Dawson in 2009. Tavoris Cloud will be the third undefeated World Champion that Pascal is facing in his last nine fights, and August 11th will be his eighth world title fight in his last nine bouts as well. We are extremely privileged here in Quebec to have a boxer of the caliber and skill of Jean Pascal, and on August 11th, all the Quebec fans will have a newly crowned champion to once again call their own!”

The promoters are also planning to put on a six-fight undercard, headlined by super mddleweight Adonis "Superman" Stevenson (18-1 with 15 KOs), whose opponent will be named in the coming days. 

Cloud, 5’10” tall, who turned 30 this year, turned pro in 2004. He won 18 of his first 19 fights by knockout. He became the IBF 175 pound champion in 2008 by defeating former champ Clinton Wood via 10th round TKO. He has gone on to win his next four fights, all title defenses. He beat Glen Johnson and Fulgencio Zuniga on points in 2010, stopped Yusaf Mack with an eighth round KO in 2011, and won a spit decision victory over Gabriel Campillo in his last outing in February of this year.

Pascal, standing at 5’11”, turns 29 in October and is seeking to regain his status as world champion. He was catapulted into the spotlight on August 14th, 2009 when he shocked the boxing world by successfully defending his WBC 175 pound crown with a thrilling 11th round technical decision win over the heavily favored and undefeated Chad Dawson. Pascal put on a masterful performance against Dawson, and was ahead on the official scorecards of all three judges (108-101, 106-103, 106-103) when the fight was stopped after an accidental collision of heads opened up a huge gash above Dawson’s left eye.