BOUCHERVILLE, Quebec, Canada - In the first face-off between the triple light heavyweight champion and the former holder of several belts in the same weight division, there was nothing but respect all around at a press conference that was held Monday to officially kick off the unified Light Heavyweight World Championship fight that will take place between Sergey "Krusher" Kovalev (26-0-1, 23 KO) and Jean Pascal (29-2-1, 17 KO). The bout is to be televised on HBO on March 14, 2015 at the Bell Center. Photos by Vincent Ethier.

Even though he holds the unified WBO, WBA and IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion title belts, Kovalev praised Pascal highly at Monday's press conference. "He's the best possible opponent I could face in the weight division," said Kovalev, who was named Sports Illustrated's 2014 Fighter of the Year Monday.