Sergey Kovalev-Jean Pascal rematch close for Jan. 30 on HBO; Andre Ward after?

NEW YORK - Sergey Kovalev and Jean Pascal are set to do it one more time.

Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events, told Paste BN Sports on Saturday that talks are advanced for a second meeting between the light heavyweights on Jan. 30. HBO would televise, and the likely site is Montreal's Bell Centre, the arena that held Kovalev's win over Pascal in March.

"We are talking and it's most likely going to (happen)," Duva said following GGG's win over David Lemieux. "(Pascal has) gone out, he's got a new trainer. He gave him a good fight. When it was over, everyone was saying, 'This is the kind of fight I want to see a rematch.'

MORE: Golovkin's star growing; he needs Cotto-Canelo winner to reach new heights

"He's the highest-rated fighter who would take a fight with Sergey. He's a great fighter, a warrior, and while it would have been nice to do this round robin, (Adonis) Stevenson, every time we go to the table, he has an excuse. It's ridiculous."

Duva says there were talks with Pascal's promoter, Jean Bedard, and Yvon Michel, Stevenson's promoter, to match the Canadians in December or January. The victor would then face Kovalev in the summer. Talks were moving along, according to Duva, and the three sides were OK with the purse splits and "everything" else. Bedard was brokering the negotiations, but according to Duva, the deal fell apart by Saturday's deadline after the Stevenson side balked.

Kovalev and Pascal engaged in a war in March, with Pascal landing some big shots of his own. He even seemed to hurt Kovalev at times, a rare occurrence, but succumbed to the pressure and power of the Russian slugger. Kovalev overwhelmed Pascal in the eighth round of a terrific fight, scoring the TKO in Round 8.

MORE: Peterson edges Felix Diaz Jr. via controversial majority decision

Duva still hopes to match Kovalev, BoxingJunkie's No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter, with Stevenson, but time is running out, and Andre Ward waits in the wings.

"That offer's on the table, 50-50," she said of the long-anticipated matchup. " … That's something that won't be there forever. We're having really good conversations with Ward's people. We are making progress. If it's Ward next year, no one is going to remember who Adonis Stevenson was. That window is going to close in the spring. If (Stevenson) doesn't want to come to the table in the spring, (that's it)."

Ward, one of the best fighters in the sport but a largely inactive one, would move up to light heavyweight for the assignment. The Olympic gold medalist fought at a catchweight above 168 pounds in June, a dominant victory over Paul Smith. Ward is now likely to return on the Cotto-Canelo undercard and then get a second fight in before an HBO PPV meeting against Kovalev.

"The talks are amicable," Duva said. "Andre wants some fights to come back first, and Sergey is going to stay busy. Around Adonis's 40th birthday, he'll probably be fighting Andre Ward. People are going to forget who Adonis Stevenson was, the guy who never fought Pascal or Kovalev."