Terence Crawford and Manny Pacquiao have operated in four of the same weight divisions and, while their careers never crossed paths, the question now is whether that could yet change.
In August 2021, Pacquiao’s defeat to Yordenis Ugas for the WBA welterweight title appeared to signal the end of the Filipino icon’s phenomenal career. A few months later, Crawford continued his rise towards greatness, stopping Shawn Porter in the 10th round to retain his WBO welterweight title.
Already undisputed at 140lbs, Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs) has since gone on to repeat the feat at welterweight and again at super-middleweight. Pacquiao, meanwhile, ended his retirement earlier this year and came close to upsetting Mario Barrios in a bid to win the WBC welterweight title at the age of 46.
Pacquiao, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame earlier this year, looks set to continue his career, with an announcement on his future believed to be imminent, while Crawford must decide whether to remain at 168lbs or move weight once more.
Crawford recently suggested that he would have beaten Pacquiao had they ever shared a ring, prompting a typically gracious response from the eight-division world champion. However, when ES News revisited the comment, Pacquiao’s tone was noticeably less diplomatic.
“I think it’s lucky that he didn’t fight me.”
In an era where Jake Paul is preparing to face Anthony Joshua, it is hard to rule anything out entirely. A Crawford–Pacquiao catchweight super-fight remains unlikely, but not impossible — particularly if “Bud” decides to fan the flames further with a few well-chosen words.
