Dubai: Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao appears to be the most wanted man on the planet.
From unbeaten American boxers Terence Crawford (36 wins, 27 Kos) and Errol Spence (26-0) to former unified light-welterweight world champion Amir Khan (34-5) and four-weight champion Mickey Garcia, they are all calling out the man who holds the record of being the only eight-division champion in the history of the sport.
And if that’s not all, Irishman Conor McGregor, who remains the biggest draw in the UFC, has thrown down the gauntlet to the Filipino boxing icon and said that he welcomes the opportunity of blockbuster ‘money fight’.
McGregor traded his four-ounce MMA gloves for boxing’s 10 ounce mitts to fight Floyd Mayweather in August 2017, where he was beaten via a 10th round stoppage.
He now wants to test Pacquiao’s skills at the of 41, and also walk off with a purse in excess of $100 million, win or loses.
Despite being what experts would refer to as ‘past his prime,’ his coach Freddie Roach still feels that the Filipino senator has got what it takes to compete at the highest levels of the sport.
With a lot of options at his disposal when boxing returns on the other side of the Coronavirus pandemic, who will Pacquiao fight next in his first appearance since a split decision victory over Keith Thurman in July 2019 that earned him the WBA “super” welterweight title.
“One thing about Manny: He doesn’t just want to beat anybody, he wants to beat the best out there,” Roach said on DAZN’s “Boxing with Chris Mannix.”
“He wants to fight the top guys. Pacquiao still desires to be the best there is.”
Crawford is a realistic option to get to fight Pacquiao at some point of time in what promises to be the biggest payday of his professional boxing career.
Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who once promoted Pacquiao and now looks after Crawford, has said that he was working on the bout before the coronavirus outbreak cut shot all hopes of a fight.
According to a ‘Boxing Scene’ report, Crawford’s camp is in discussions with Arum and Pacquiao’s team. “They want to fight. We want the fight,” said Crawford, who appeared on “The Ak And Barak Show.”
“So basically, we’re trying to figure out the money situation.”
“I think that fight can get made, worked out however it will be,” said Crawford. “Every top fighter is dealing with the same issue (COVID-19). It’s not like I’m the only one dealing with this.
“You know, when you look at all these other fighters and who they’re gonna fight, how they’re gonna get paid, that’s the big dilemma right now.”
Crawford last fought in December 2019 when he stopped Egidijus Kavaliauskas to retain the WBO welterweight championship.
