Pascal (left) and Dawson could meet again after a close contest

Jean Pascal retained his WBC light-heavyweight crown with a unanimous points win over the previously unbeaten Chad Dawson in Montreal.

The fight was halted by the ringside doctor in the 11th round after an accidental clash of heads opened a gash over Dawson's right eye.

That sent the outcome to the judges' scorecards, with Pascal winning 108-101, 106-103 and 106-103.

The Canadian improved to 26-1 with his third successful title defence.

"I knew with my speed in the ring I could beat Chad Dawson," said the Haitian-born Pascal, 27, whose only loss came against Britain's Carl Froch in 2008.

"I was not tired. I knew Chad was tired. I thought 'let him throw punches and I will get him at the end of the rounds'."

American Dawson, 28, suffered the first loss of his 10-year career, falling to 29-1 and claiming that he was repeatedly held and butted by Pascal.

"We both fought a great fight," Dawson said. "He was holding and head-butting me all night. I didn't complain, not one time."

Pascal staggered Dawson in the seventh round and both fighters landed powerful blows in the eighth.

At the start of the 11th, Dawson backed Pascal into a corner and landed a flurry of punches before the champion doubled over and escaped. Then came the clash of heads.

"I was on the way to stopping him and he knew that," Dawson said. "Before they stopped the fight, I had him hurt. We had two more rounds to fight."

But Pascal countered: "I know for sure I'm not a dirty fighter and it wasn't an intentional head-butt. Why would I need to do that? I was leading the fight."

Dawson plans on making Pascal honour a rematch clause, although the champion is allowed another fight before he would have to meet Dawson again.

"I've got a rematch clause so we're going to do it again," Dawson said. "We've got to do it again."

A possible next foe for Pascal is another Montreal-based world champion Lucian Bute, the IBF super-middleweight title-holder, one weight division below.

"I'm the boss, I'm one of the best in the world," Pascal said. "If he wants to fight me, he has to challenge me."

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