FILE – Boxing promoter Bob Arum gives Manny Pacquiao a playful jab on the cheek following his weigh-in Floyd Mayweather on May 1, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada one day before their “Fight of the Century” on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. AFP PHOTO / FREDERIC J. BROWN (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines—It’s been nearly a year since a potential bout between Terence Crawford and Manny Pacquiao was publicly discussed and Top Rank CEO Bob Arum is still looking ways to make it happen.
As per FightHype.com, Arum is eyeing to set WBO World welterweight champion Crawford up for a fight against either Pacquiao or Shawn Porter.
“There’s Manny Pacquiao who has said he wants to fight Terence Crawford. Let’s see if that can happen,” said Arum in an interview. “Obviously Manny [is the more probable fight] because more money for Crawford in the Manny fight.”
Crawford, a top pound-for-pound fighter, doesn’t mind whom he defends his belt against but he’d prefer Pacquiao over Porter.
“I don’t know we just have to wait and see. Both of them are great fights. Yeah I prefer the Manny Pacquiao fight over Shawn Porter, but Shawn Porter is a great fight in its own right and I am going to be ready for whichever one comes to fruition,” said Crawford.
In April 2020, Arum said that a fight between Crawford and Pacquiao, who was once his best fighter in the Top Rank stable, was a possibility.
But Pacquiao, who ended a 13-year relationship with Arum and Top Rank in 2018, is now under contract with Paradigm Sports Management.
Nevertheless, Arum maintains that he has a healthy relationship with Pacquiao and that the eight-division World champion remains dear to him.
As for Crawford, who is now Arum’s top draw along with Tyson Fury and Teofimo Loepz, fighting either Pacquiao or Porter presents a different set of skills.
“I really can’t say. All I can do is prepare myself to the best of my abilities and be ready for whatever is put in front of me,” said Crawford. “Both of them have their own strong points. Manny Pacquiao is fast and moving, he can punch. Shawn Porter is aggressive, tough, and durable.”
Crawford (37-0), the former undisputed super lightweight champion, defeated Jeff Horn for the WBO welterweight title and has held on to that strap since 2018 ending opponents in all four of his defenses.
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