Boxing: Jean Pascal retains title with draw against Bernard Hopkins

Jean Pascal of Canada retained his WBC light-heavyweight title on Saturday after a majority draw with 45-year-old American Bernard Hopkins.

Pascal, 26-1-1 (17 KOs), knocked Hopkins down at the end of the first round and again in the third, the first time Hopkins had been down in a fight since 1994.

Hopkins, a former middleweight and light-heavyweight champion, protested to the referee that the knockdowns had  been caused by punches to the back of the head.

However, after the second knockdown Hopkins, 51-5-2 (32  KOs), began to take control of the fight, attacking Pascal with left hooks to the body and overhand rights to the head.

Pascal spent the next several rounds on the retreat, throwing wild single punches as Hopkins put together swift  combinations.

The Canadian appeared to recover his energy in the latter stages, landing several right hands in an explosive final round.

Hopkins was bitter about the outcome.

"I dominated the fight," he said. "I threw a lot of combinations. This was a sure enough robbery. I took him to  school."

Pascal disagreed.

"I believe I won the fight," he said. "It wasn't my best fight, but Bernard fights ugly and dirty. He's a tough guy to box.

"I'm the champion, I like to win, not draw. If he wants a rematch, he can have one any time."