No he couldn't and wasn't going to either. Pascal was baiting Bute to open up to counter him and Bute knew this. Bute was hardly putting any serious pressure on Pascal to get him tired. Sure Pascal was tired late but he wasn't completely out of it.
It's all relative, pea-brain. :yep Anyway, I can't see Kovalev actually fighting his triplet brother, Lucien. LOL, next they'll say Bute is fighting his other sibling, GGG.
If Froch hadn't mentally and emotionally destroyed Bute, that fight could have possibly turned out differently, Pascal has a great chin but I think he was far more hurt than he was letting on, of course Pascal said he was baiting him trying to set up a rematch, just an excuse in my opinion. Pascal had been countering Bute all night and had virtually shut him out, there was no reason for an attempted rope a dope. Irregardless, if Bute can hurt him even a little, Kovalev will hurt him.
The stupidest people on this site are those who believe Kovalev would win this by being the first to KO Pascal. Those people are as dumb as gnats.