The WBC on Thursday ordered a rematch between light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal and former champion Bernard Hopkins, three weeks after they fought to a highly disputed draw. "The WBC board of governors has voted in favor of ordering the immediate rematch between WBC champion Jean Pascal and emeritus champion Bernard Hopkins for the WBC light heavyweight championship of the world," WBC president Jose Sulaiman wrote to the camps. "The winner of this fight has the obligation to fight Chad Dawson immediately without any intervening contest." Under the order, Pascal and Hopkins have 30 days to negotiate a deal. If they do not reach an agreement, a purse bid will be ordered for Feb. 4 at the WBC offices in Mexico City. "This is a great thing for boxing and hopefully fans will get to see another great fight with Pascal and I," Hopkins said in a statement. "I'm looking forward to starting off the New Year by making history as the oldest athlete to win a major championship in any sport." "I'm very happy the WBC did the right thing," Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, Hopkins' promoter, told ESPN.com. "I think Bernard clearly deserves the immediate rematch. I feel very strongly that Bernard Hopkins won the fight. Now we just need to get it on again. I am sure that Bernard will leave no doubt that he is the light heavyweight champion. I'm going to be talking to [Pascal promoter] Yvon Michel and, based on the conversations I've had with him in the last few days, he and Jean Pascal are interested in the fight." Read more: http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=5996542
