Manny Pacquiao throws a left at Floyd Mayweather Jr. during their welterweight unification championship bout on May 2, 2015 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo : Al Bello/Getty Images)
Manny Pacquiao should start focusing his attention on someone else rather than putting all his eggs on one basket. That basket apparently is none other than a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr.., who could still earn him at least $40 million.
Boxing writer Branson Wright of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes Pacquiao must now entertain the possibility of a mega-buck showdown with lightweight and jr. welterweight king pin Terrence Crawford, who is coming off another resounding TKO win over feisty contender John Molina last Saturday.
Pacquiao is the reigning WBA welterweight champion after scoring a decision win over Jessie Vargas last November. Wright believes any result of Pacquiao-Crawford would benefit Top-Rank and its head honcho Bob Arum as far as building up interest is concerned.
Wright's comments on potential Pacquiao-Crawford showdown:
"An eventual Mayweather return would not surprise me, but Pacquiao is better off if he signs for a mega-fight with someone else just in case Mayweather remains in retirement or decides not to fight Pacquiao upon a return.
And if that's the case, Pacquiao should consider fighting up-and-coming star Terence Crawford. It was Crawford (30-0) who was impressive in defense of his WBO and WBC super-lightweight titles against John Molina. Crawford dominated Molina and took him out by TKO.
A fight between Crawford and Pacquiao works two ways for each fighter. A victory by Crawford would give him his most well-known victory over a hall-of-fame fighter. A victory by Pacquiao would be his best victory since he defeated Juan Manuel Marquez in 2011."
Pacquiao himself expressed interest in fighting Crawford, whether it's going to be a fight at welterweight or with catch-weight stipulations. However, Pacman's trainer Freddie Roach isn't that much intrigued about the fight, since he would rather pick Canelo Alvarez for Pacquiao because of the interest and money it would generate.
Arum already confirmed that Pacquiao will likely return to the ring around June, because of his commitment in the Philippine Senate.
