Arum Says Pacquiao-Crawford Fight May Happen Soon

(Photo : Unsplash/Joel Muniz)

Bob Arum was once sure that the Manny Pacquiao-Terence Crawford fight would never be seen.

Coach Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's boxing trainer, abhorred that fight for the Filipino boxing icon when Top Rank Inc., Arum's company, represented Pacquiao. Even Arum himself thought that Pacquiao would never have the chance to defeat Crawford since Crawford was too good and too young for the Filipino icon.

After a few years, Arum is now exploring the possibility of finally setting-up Pacquiao-Crawford.

Arum said that putting together Pacquiao-Crawford are at tentative talks and to make the event happen, the fight should be outside of the United States, and outside of the Philippines. He added that foreign countries interested to hold the planned unification bout between the two boxers must be ready to pay a big site fee.

Pacquiao and Arum parted ways after the Filipino icon unexpectedly loss to the Australian underdog Jeff Horn, in July 2017, but the WBA welterweight champion seemingly is willing to work with his quondam promotor to bring in the Crawford fight. For Crawford, fighting the 41-year-old Pacquiao would secure him the high-profile welterweight fight he has strived for since the WBO champion moved from the 140-pound division two years ago.

Arum said he already had feelers out before the coronavirus crisis happened where it was pretty much down the line about getting the Pacquiao-Crawford fight on late in the summer or in the fall. He added he was optimistic that he will be able to continue with the talks in the next coming months. Arum talked to Crawford and Brian Mclntyre, manager and trainer of Crawford, about the fight. He noted that both Pacquiao and Crawford would want to go ahead with the fight.

Arum articulated that the world is different from what it was at the end of January, mid-February, and everyone has to see what it will look like after the crisis. He uttered that it would be great if the economics for the fight work, which would have happened absent the coronavirus situation.

The 88-year-old Arum still believes Crawford (36-0, 27 KO) would win against Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 Kos), but considers it as a more competitive fight knowing that Pacquiao has beaten Lucas Matthysse, Adrien Broner, and Keith Thurman in three straight bouts.

Arum stated he would bet for Crawford but now thinks that Pacquiao has a good chance and the fight will be an entertaining once since Pacquiao seems to be dedicated again. He added he has had the same situation before, where boxers become a little bit older, but still has the same skills as before and mentioned about "Big" George Foreman winning the heavyweight title at the age of 45.

Despite Pacquiao's success since mid-2018, the 32-year-old Terence Crawford of Omaha, Nebraska, presumable would be a great favorite to wipe out Pacquiao.

Arum stated that if the site fee were large enough, a Pacquiao-Crawford fight could happen without fans attending the event outside of the US. He did not mention possible foreign sites for what would a welterweight title unification fight be.

Arum articulated that if somebody was willing to put up a big site fee, and do it without fans for the publicity, then the event might work, or maybe do the event with fans, but doing it with safe-distance seating, which he has been exploring.