Essential The Official Boxing Random Thoughts Thread...All boxing heads ENTER.

desjardins

desjardins

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Manny v Bud been on the verge of being finalized for like 3 years now :dead:
Manny don't want that smoke.......but if he do :whew:
42 yr old coming off a long layoff....shyt fittin be a lay up for Crawford to become cash cow of the division with one fight :banderas:










Manny Pacquiao, one of the greatest boxers of all time, is in discussions to fight welterweight champion Terence Crawford on June 5 in Abu Dhabi, sources tell The Athletic's Mike Coppinger.



Top Rank has informed its network partner, ESPN, and pay-per-view distributor In Demand to hold June 5 for the potential fight it's exploring between Pacquiao and Crawford, sources said. Crawford would easily represent Pacquiao's biggest challenge since he met Floyd Mayweather in a 2015 super fight that shattered revenue records.



The structure of the deal is contingent on the fight taking place in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, sources said. There’s no agreement for the fight at this time.



Crawford is No. 3 in The Athletic’s pound-for-pound rankings, and while there’s no doubting his immense talent, he’s still yet to face a bona fide, A-level fighter. A meeting with Pacquiao would finally solve that issue.

What would a win over Pacquiao mean for Crawford?
Mike Coppinger, boxing insider: It would be huge for Crawford, a fighter who has been dogged by criticism over his lack of quality opposition. Crawford is 33 and his biggest win came against Viktor Postol in 2016, a good but not great boxer.



Pacquiao, even at 42, would represent the toughest opponent of Crawford’s career by a large margin. Yes, Pacquiao hasn’t competed since the summer of 2019, but that performance was utterly impressive, a victory over then-champion Keith Thurman. And Pacquiao is forever a legend.

Why this makes sense for Pacquiao
Lance Pugmire, senior boxing writer: I'll never forget a breakfast I attended at Pacquiao's Southern California home two years ago when he and legendary rival Erik Morales discussed their fighting mindsets and fervently agreed they could never accept a "light touch" on the way to retirement. Pacquiao has assessed the landscape of the welterweight division, judged Crawford as the toughest foe and has tabbed him for what might be his final bout. Pacquiao's legacy won't be the outcome. It's the fact that he's repeatedly never shied from choosing "best available."

Why Abu Dhabi?
Coppinger: The Middle East has been aggressive in pursuing marquee boxing matches with the promise of massive site fees, and that’s what would bring Pacquiao-Crawford to Abu Dhabi: bundles of money.



Saudi Arabia has hotly pursued the rights to the Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua super fight, and Abu Dhabi has been involved there, too. If Pacquiao-Crawford is going to happen ― and it’s still a big if at this stage ― a sizable guarantee from Abu Dhabi will be necessary. Without Abu Dhabi, the deal falls apart.
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