LAS VEGAS -- Former light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal overcame a slow start to beat Yuniesky Gonzalez by unanimous decision Saturday night to set up a possible rematch with Sergey Kovalev.

Fighting on the same card as Kovalev, Pascal (30-3-1) won by a 96-94 margin in the 10-round bout on all three scorecards to hand Gonzalez (16-1) his first loss. The decision was loudly booed by the crowd at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino, and met with disbelief by Gonzalez himself.

Gonzalez had to be restrained in his corner as he lashed out after the decision was announced.

"It was a great fight, very close," Pascal said. "I'm glad to give the fans another candidate for fight of the year because that's what I think happened."

Pascal, who was stopped in March by Kovalev in his last fight in Montreal, took a lot of punishment early, getting hit with several big right hands by the aggressive Gonzalez. He rebounded in the later rounds, though, as Gonzalez seemed to tire.

 The fight was entertaining, with both boxers more than willing to trade punches. On several occasions Gonzalez seemed to rock Pascal, though the former champion landed some good right hands of his own.

 "I was controlling the fight," Pascal said. "The fight was following exactly the rhythm I wanted."

Kovalev defended his light heavyweight titles in the featured bout on the card against mandatory challenger Nadjib Mohammedi of France.