Cieslak vs Pascal interim title fight official for June 28 in Quebec

Jean Pascal has replaced Yamil Peralta against Michal Cieslak in a bid for secondary cruiserweight gold

Yet another update in the WBC’s cruiserweight trainwreck: the sanctioning body announced today that the proposed interim title fight between Michal Cieslak and Yamil Peralta “found complications to be staged.” Cieslak will instead fight former light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal on June 28th in Quebec for both the secondary belt and a crack at the winner of Badou Jack vs Noel Mikaelian next week.

Pascal (37-7-1, 21 KO) is 42 years old and his only win since a March 2023 loss to Michael Eifert saw him stop Terry Osias at what looks like a 190-pound catchweight. He’s not ranked by WBC (or anyone else) at cruiserweight, and considering they’ve still got Ilunga Makabu at no. 6 despite two knockout losses in the last three fights, that’s saying something.

Cieslak (27-2, 21 KO), by contrast, has long been a genuine player at 200 despite falling short in title bids against Makabu and Lawrence Okolie. By all rights, he should brutalize Pascal, whose only potential lifeline is Quebecois judging.