IN a cruiserweight clash so one-sided that it was difficult to watch from the first bell, Poland’s Michal Cieslak stayed focused and professional, stopping Jean Pascal in four. This fight headlined an 11-fight card at the Place Bell, Quebec, Canada.
The Polish fighter picked up the vacant WBC Interim cruiserweight title, further adding to the ridiculously complicated situation that the WBC has created in that weight division.
Pascal’s corner team pulled their man at 1-10 of the fourth round (incorrectly recorded by the announcer as the third) as he wobbled around the ring trying to discover something that is clearly long gone.
Looking in less defined shape than usual, Pascal, 42, came roaring out of the blocks, throwing a bundle of hooks. This was the pinnacle of his evening. From that point on, Cieslak seized centre ring and let his left jab, mixed with body shots, do the work.
At the end of round three, Pascal fell into the ropes off a flurry and received a count. There were slightly confusing sequences in the fight, caused by an apparently slippery canvas. This knockdown was genuine.
Seemingly finished with the facade, Cieslak put his foot down in the fourth and landed enough to convince Pascal’s team that their man needed to be withdrawn for his own safety.
Trying to balance between supporting their man and accepting reality, the Canadian commentary team expressed doubts as to whether Pascal would hang up the gloves.
Not only did the 20-year professional look like he could no longer compete at world level, this fight also raised concerns over whether he should still be fighting at all.
Michal Cieslak is now 28-2 (22 KOs), while Pascal falls to 37-8-1 (21 KOs). It is no longer the same man who fought Carl Froch, Chad Dawson, Bernard Hopkins and a list of great names.
Ranked number five by BoxRec, on the same evening Gilberto Ramirez defended his two belts against Yuniel Dorticos, Cieslak is a minor player again at cruiserweight, extending his winning streak to seven straight after losing to Lawrence Okolie in 2022.
