This is a must-see war for Pacquiao
By Recah Trinidad
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 24 Jul 2016
World boxing great Manny Pacquiao, officially retired, may be busy following the progress of President Duterte?s furious all-out war against the rampant drug menace in the country. But there?s another war, scheduled in Las Vegas, Nevada, today, which Pacquiao can?t?shouldn?t?miss.
American Terence Crawford (28-0, 20 KOs) and Ukrainian Viktor Postol (28-0, 12 KOs) clash in a world junior welterweight championship unification at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, a big fight which should draw unwavering live attention from Pacquiao.
You see, it?s a known fact that promoter Bob Arum has unretired Pacquiao even before the freshly minted Filipino senator could succeed in getting a sanction (to fight) from the Senate President. In fact, Arum has already reserved a Nov. 5 fight for Pacquiao in Las Vegas against a still unknown opponent.
The prefight noise for today?s world title unification fight however continued to point hard at Crawford as the strongest candidate for Pacquiao?s next foe.
?A win by Crawford makes him one of the frontrunners to fight Pacquiao in Las Vegas on Nov. 5,? wrote Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times. Pugmire failed to mention a close second choice for a Pacquiao foe.
Of course, it can?t be denied Pacquiao already knows of Crawford, the fastest-rising American boxing star today. In fact, Pacquiao had to duck Crawford, in favor of Timothy Bradley, in what had been loudly advertised as the Pacman?s career-closing final fight.
For the record, Crawford, Arum?s first choice as opponent in Pacquiao?s last bout, was singled out by trainer Freddie Roach as ?very talented, strong and dangerous? before that lengthy selection process [for a Pacquiao foe] could build up.
Bradley himself had nominated Crawford, his close friend, for that Pacquiao fight.
In the end, Team Pacquiao ended up with a third encounter against Bradley after Crawford loomed quite hazardous to Pacquiao?s health.
As could be expected, Crawford is a big favorite in today?s WBO-WBC junior welterweight unification fight.
***
Roach, who?s handling Postol, has however issued a warning to Crawford handlers and fanatics not to undermine the quiet, calculating and hard-working Postol.
?Crawford has a lot of talent but Postol has beaten tougher and better opponents,? Roach said. ?Crawford will find that Postol would be a lot different than Hank Lundy and Darry Jean.?
Roach continued to trumpet about the sensational stoppage by Postol of the heavily favored Lucas Matthysse last year.
***
Roach also prides in the fact that ?Postol and Pacquiao were even with each other? when they sparred in General Santos City in 2014.
Postol sparred and helped Pacquiao prepare against the American kick-boxing champ Chris Algieri.
That bout, hugely over-hyped, turned into a dismal mismatch in Macau.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Recah Trinidad.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Boxers swing into action
By Joaquin Henson, Fri, 05 Sep 2025UBO Youth World Title Showdown: Aliya Soomro Fights Monika Singh in Thailand
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 05 Sep 2025Battle of the Hawk Season 1 Finals on September 9; offers P600,000 to the winning team while P300,000 to the losing finalist team
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 05 Sep 2025Press Conference Notes: Oscar Valdez Motivated for Saturday's Homecoming Against Ricky Medina
Fri, 05 Sep 2025SUNDERLAND PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES AS McCORMACK EYES BIG WIN
Fri, 05 Sep 2025THE ROAD TO REYES CUP AND MOSCONI CUP | 2025 PLAYERS QUALIFICATION
Fri, 05 Sep 2025Statement from World Boxing following reports in the French media about French female boxers at the World Boxing Championships
Fri, 05 Sep 2025GenSan Is Our Version of Los Mochis - The City of Boxing Champions
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 05 Sep 2025Iglesias vs. Shishkin: Unsigned Hype
By Chris Carlson, Fri, 05 Sep 2025EDDIE HEARN PROVIDES AJ UPDATE AS PAT McCORMACK NAMES THE BIG FIGHT HE WANTS NEXT IN NEW MATCHROOM BOXING PODCAST
Fri, 05 Sep 2025Team USA’s Path to Gold Set at 2025 World Boxing Championships in Liverpool
Fri, 05 Sep 2025DACS signs up with Amesco Drug
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 05 Sep 2025India’s Monika Singh Battles Aliya Soomro of Pakistan for UBO Youth World 108 in Thailand
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 04 Sep 2025TEENAGE KICKS: WONDERKIDS LEO ATANG, ADAM MACA AND TIAH-MAI AYTON ARE READY TO LIGHT UP SUNDERLAND THIS SATURDAY
Thu, 04 Sep 2025150 to join Rotary Heritage Aquathlon
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 04 Sep 2025