Schaefer confident Pascal-Hopkins rematch will happen

LAS VEGAS – The Jean Pascal-Bernard Hopkins rematch is no longer set in stone but Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, Hopkins’ promoter, is confident that it will happen.

Golden Boy won the right to promote the fight in a purse bid, which became necessary when Pascal and his promoter, Yvon Michel, were unable to come to terms for the fight.

The winning bid was $1,911,500, which was first reported by ESPN.com and then confirmed by Schaefer. Pascal would receive $1,051,325 (55 percent) and Hopkins $860, 175 (45 percent) but they must negotiate their share of other revenue, including that from HBO

The fight is tentatively scheduled for May 21.

"Yvon could not come to an agreement with Pascal, so this means he will go back to Canada to meet with Pascal and try to work something out, but the plan is still for the fight to happen May 21 on HBO," Schaefer told ESPN.com. "I don't know what Yvon offered to Pascal, but I know it was more than what he would be entitled to from the purse bid."

He later added, "I am convinced the fight will happen. It's the fight they both want and we already have television lined up and interest from venues. Yvon and Pascal couldn't agree on a purse amount, so it went to a bid and now it is settled."

A deal between Hopkins and Golden Boy already is in place, Schaefer said.

Schaefer expects the fight to take place in Canada, the site of the first fight, but only if Pascal and Canadian officials agree that the referee and the judges not be from Canada.

Schaefer listed Montreal, Quebec City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Philadelphia as possible sites on the purse bid.

Pascal kept his RING and WBC light heavyweight titles when he and Hopkins fought to a draw on Dec. 18. The titles will be at stake again on May 21 if they come to terms.