How do you lead a 39-year-old boxer, inactive for almost three years, coming out of a depression and a doping scandal, to one of his great career victories? Because that’s what Jean Pascal accomplished on Friday night, winning against Meng Fanlong in the suburbs of Tampa, Florida.
Posted at 11:00 a.m.
“Starting from scratch,” bluntly, explained Julian Adam, Montreal physical trainer of the Quebec pugilist, after the confrontation.
“There were a lot of steps to climb. At the start, we were only looking for small victories in each training session. »
The journey that led him to that unanimous decision win over the IBF’s No. 1 light heavyweight contender began in January.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY PROBOX TV
Jean Pascal sent his opponent to the mat.
“He was not in great shape, concedes Adam. He was coming out of his depression. […] One of the good things about Jean was the way his body was responding to cardiac stress tests. The more we trained him, the better he responded. »
It wasn’t pretty the first month. But after that, it was just steady progress.
Julian Adam, physical trainer
He cites as an example these 100-pound balls that he had to hold in front of his rib cage. And which made him suffocate. “But he kept going. »
Orlando Cuellar, Jean Pascal’s new trainer, has mentioned several times over the past few days how he has pushed his boxer to the limit in recent months. “I put him through hell,” he repeated on Friday evening.
It obviously paid off. If Meng had dominated the first three rounds, Pascal’s assaults gradually became more intense. And eventually became too heavy for the Chinese. The Quebecer still had “the energy in the tank” at the end of the engagement, while Meng seemed to be short of resources.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY PROBOX TV
Meng Fanlong forced Jean Pascal back into the cables during this assault.
“He saw Jesus at all the training sessions”
Labor had started even before Pascal traveled to Florida to continue his gym sessions with Cuellar, six weeks out from the fight.
“He saw Jesus at all the training sessions,” laughs Julian Adam. My goal was to kill him. I wanted him to leave. »
A way of speaking, of course. Even if Jean Pascal almost took him at his word. But the “fire” that burns in him, according to Cuellar, still 39, kept him in the saddle.
As well as his team behind him, who “reassured” him in his moments of questioning.
“We helped him pull himself together mentally and physically,” Cuellar said. We are here tonight [vendredi], and we are victorious thanks to all this. »
“Sometimes I thought he was angry”
Jean Pascal complimented his team after the clash against Meng Fanlong, as he celebrated with all his entourage in the anteroom of the ProBox TV premises.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY PROBOX TV
Jean Pascal was lifted by his coaches following his victory.
Orlando Cuellar, among others, “an expressive coach with a lot of emotions”, he underlines.
“I wasn’t much used to that, with Stéphan Larouche and Marc Ramsay. But quietly not quickly, I got to know him during training camp. Sometimes I thought he was angry, but he’s just an expressive coach. He gives good instructions. I listened to it enough to win the fight. »
It was also the first time that Julian Adam worked with a top boxer. He has also worked with hockey players, such as Daniel Sprong and Samson Mahbod, in particular.
“He’s had intense training in the past, but I’m different from the others,” Adam said. I have a different approach. »
“I’m happy for him, we worked hard. He’s come a long way. It was hard to see everything he had to go through. To see that all his efforts have paid off is all that matters. »
And the next challenge?
Greg Leon, long-time manager of Jean Pascal, did not want to go too far on what will happen next for his foal. But he says he notified the International Boxing Federation (IBF) of the 12-round fight on Friday “from the weigh-in”.
“They will give him the rank he deserves, he believes. I requested that Jean take Meng’s position as number one contender, but that may be unrealistic. »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY PROBOX TV
“But if they don’t put us in the top 5, what does this mean for their number one contender? asks Leon.
Jean Pascal himself mentioned wanting to “return to Quebec” for his next duel.
Greg Leon says he wants to “look at the options on the menu” first.
“We will make the best decision, and we will make it as a team as we do all the time. »
Precisely, this team, it will remain unscathed?
“When you win, there is nothing to change, answers Orlando Cuellar when questioned on the subject. This team is glorious and it will remain intact. »