Hopkins, Pascal exchange words, not shove

NEW YORK - There might not have been any sports-related fireworks in Montreal to rival it since the last time the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup.

At a Monday press conference to hype their May 21 rematch in Montreal's Bell Centre, challenger Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins and WBC light-heavyweight champion Jean Pascal got into a heated dispute that threatened to get physical after Pascal asked - actually, he demanded - Hopkins to take a prefight drug test. That issue was never raised when the two camps were negotiating contracts.

Pascal then put his hands on the 46-year-old Philadelphian, and Hopkins (51-5-2, 38 KOs) reacted by shoving Pascal (26-1-1, 16 KOs). That prompted security personnel to step between the two men, who battled to a majority draw on Dec. 18 in Quebec City.

At today's press conference in New York, the tone was calmer and more civil, but, like toothpaste squeezed out of the tube, some things aren't so easily taken back.

"He said what he said in Canada," said Hopkins, whom many believe deserved to get the decision that went neither way the week before Christmas in the Pepsi Coliseum. "If he was going to say it again, he would have said it today. But it really doesn't make any difference. What really got me upset was when he tried to put his arm around me after saying what he did.

"This is a confused, desperate guy. I just shoved him to get him out of my face. I was, like, 'Wait a minute. You're going to insult me, insult my history and insult my hard work, now you want to put your arm around me and like we're friends?'"

Pascal, 28, said his intent was not to insult Hopkins. But if Hopkins wants to take it that way, so be it.

"I asked (the question) because I thought he would say 'Yes' (to a drug test), and because boxing is a clean sport and we are clean fighters," Pascal said. "But when I asked Bernard, he didn't respond. Because of that, there's a question mark right now. If he has nothing to hide, why doesn't he want to take and pass the test?"

As for the touching that angered Hopkins, Pascal said, "I put my hand on his shoulder as a friend. I wasn't being disrespectful to him. If he took it the wrong way, that's on him.

"He doesn't like me, I don't like him. That's OK. We're going to set the record straight on May 21."