Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
LAS VEGAS — Terence Crawford will watch Pacquiao-Bradley III intently on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
There’s the fact that Timothy Bradley is a close friend. And then there’s the possibility that if Manny Pacquiao wins and breaks his retirement vow, he may be the eight-division champion’s next foe.
If Bradley emerges victorious, Crawford will stay at junior welterweight, where he is the WBO champion, and clean up the division.
The undefeated Crawford (28-0 with 20 knockouts) is picking Bradley to win, as long as the American sticks to the game plan.
“He (Bradley) should be just himself,” said Crawford on Friday at the sidelines of the weigh-in at MGM Grand. “He shouldn’t allow himself to get caught by Manny’s tactics.”
The 28-year-old Crawford and Bradley, 32, developed a bond after Crawford served as Bradley’s main sparring partner in back-to-back camps.
Since then, they considered each other family, as brothers.
Now, that he’s a Big Leaguer himself, Crawford can’t understand why Bradley isn’t mentioned in the same breadth as Pacquiao, who’s hanging up his gloves after this fight, and Floyd Mayweather Jr., who retired after besting the Filipino icon last year.
Crawford, one of a handful who believes that Bradley did beat Pacquiao in their first encounter four years ago, also debunked reports that he was going after Pacquiao for a record payday, saying that his time will come.
As to Pacquiao’s alleged comment that he isn’t popular enough to be thrown into the limelight, Crawford said he doesn’t care.
“I don’t listen to what other people say, ” said Crawford. “But if I am not a big star enough, how come there’s strong clamor for me to fight him?”