WBC light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal (26-1, 16 KOs) scored an eleven round technical decision over previously unbeaten WBC interim light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (29-1, 17 KOs) on Saturday night at the Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Pascal thrilled the hometown crowd with his aggressive barrages. He continually roughed up Dawson as the bout progressed. Dawson finally got more aggressive and had Pascal hurt in round nine but didn’t follow up. A desparate Dawson went for the KO in round eleven and looked like he might do it before suffering a bad cut from an accidental headbutt that sent the bout to the scorecards. Scores were 108-101, 106-103, 106-103. Pascal also won Dawson’s IBO belt. There is a rematch clause in the fight contract, however Pascal has an option for an interim fight before any rematch. He may face IBF super middleweight champion Lucien Bute next.

Lightweight Tony Luis (10-0 3KO) pounded out a 78-74, 79-73, 80-72 decision over Adrian Verdugo (12-2-1 9KO) of Mexico. Luis was able to fire off three and four punch combinations for the duration on an opponent who offered very little in return. Verdugo sported a respectable 12-1-1 record going in, but against what amounted to horrible opposition. The average record of opponent over his last 4 four wins amounted to 5-18. It was the first time Luis has been past six rounds and the Cornwall fighter looked tired on his stool over the last two rounds but still came out and continued to deliver he combinations, although their frequency were slightly diminished. Verdugo did put up somewhat of an effort over the course of the last round, but it was about eight rounds too late.

Super-lightweight Dierry Jean returned to action for the first time since last November and gave journeyman Antonio Soriano all he could handle for six rounds before the Mexican threw in the towel in what was scheduled for eight rounds. In what was a glorified sparring session, Haition sensation Jean was able to land at will and remained virtually untouched for the duration. Soriano despite a 15-12-2 record has proven to been a durable opponent when travelling to Canada, never being stopped in his five previous visits. Jean moves to 18-0 with his 12th stoppage.

Super-featherweight Kevin Lavallee wasted no time in scoring his second knockout in as many fights, dispatching Genaro Garcia (9-9 6KO) at 1:16 of the first round. The Russ Anber trained product overwhelmed his Mexican opponent 40 seconds in sending Garcia down to the canvas and quickly followed up with a left to the body to finish things off for good.

Unheralded Puerto Rican Rubin Rivera (3-4 1KO) was able to walk into undefeated Wayne John’s backyard and hand the heavyweight his first defeat, knocking down the Montreal fighter with a counter right hand to end the first round. John was able to come back in the second and go to ample body of Rivera that was big as all outdoors but there was little action from either fighter in the last half of the six round snooze fest. Despite the knockdown, judge Jean Lapointe some how had the fight scored 59-55 for John while the other two judges saw it a more reasonable 57-56 for the visitor Rivera.

Lightweight Arash Usmanee (6-0 3KO) made easy work of Hugo Pacheco (11-16-1 9KO) with three knockdowns, ending the proceedings with a right hand to put down the overmatched Mexican fighter for a final time at 1:28 of the second round. Pacheco who has never beaten a fighter with a winning record is no relation to the “Fight Doctor” who bears the same last name, but probably could have used one by the end of the fight.