Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines lands a right to the head of Jessie Vargas during their WBO welterweight championship fight at the Thomas & Mack Center on November 5, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
Trainer Freddie Roach calls it a tough, dangerous fight but, strictly speaking, the famous handler of Manny Pacquiao has directly tagged world light welterweight king Terence Crawford as one big unfinished business.
It’s no secret Team Pacquiao had avoided a confrontation with Crawford (30-0, 21 KOs), at least twice last year.
Roach has sworn that enough is enough.
“It’s one tough fight we have to say yes to,” Roach explained.
Why?
“We don’t wanna just be fighting nobodies, etc. to stay in the game.”
Brave, fighting words: There’s no denying the unbeaten Crawford is the best and toughest available foe for Pacquiao.
The pride of Omaha, Nebraska, top candidate for 2016 Fighter of the Year, heads the CompuBox categorical leaders list with 49 points, followed by Vasyl Lomachenco with 48.
Pacquiao is at 5th with 21 points, behind Roman Gonzales with 30. Andre Ward lords it over at third.
Crawford had openly challenged Pacquiao in 2016. Sen. Pacquiao however ended up fighting Timothy Bradley, a favorite whipping boy, before taking on Jessie Vargas and regaining his WBO welterweight crown last November.
Sad to say, those two relatively easy assignments hardly enhanced Pacquiao’s brand.
Crawford would go on to win all his three fights last year in sensational fashion.
Actually, Pacquiao and Roach would be pining indefinitely for a rematch with the securely retired Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Then, in a thrilling twist, Roach made a bold stand.
“We still want to be the best,” he said.
Why?
“If you can’t be the best, you don’t need to be in this sport—because you’ll get hurt.”