SPORTS SHORTS 114: MANNY PACQUIAO VS. TERENCE CRAWFORD FIGHT APPEARS "DEAD"
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 25 Apr 2021
Future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao's proposed mega buck title fight with World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Terence Crawford is no longer workable.
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The Athletic’s Mike Coppinger reported on social media that he has learned that Crawford has not formally agreed to fight the former eight-division world champion and the latest development is that the proposed site which is the U.A.E. and the people with the money involved cannot make it into fruition.
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Mike Coppinger's Twitter account read: "Sources: The proposed Manny Pacquiao-Terence Crawford welterweight title fight, pegged for June 5, appears all but dead after the funding from Abu Dhabi investors never came through. Crawford, at long last, would have finally landed an elite opponent. Now the wait continues."
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After Crawford’s last fight which is a humdrum title defense resulting in a 4th round TKO against England’s Kell Brook last November 15, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum announced publicly about enticing Pacquiao to be his fighter’s next opponent.
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The Pacquiao-Crawford fight seemed only theoretical since last quarter, when Arum began to talk repeatedly about the frustrations and delays with its negotiations.
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There were some consequential dissatisfaction from the unbeaten Crawford regarding his lackadaisical opponents and dearth of PPV blockbuster fights, as his contract with Top Rank will expire at the later part of this year.
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Arum said of the Pacquiao-Crawford match that time, "The money was there. It had been committed. It was a fight that was going to take place in a country in the Mid-East. And then the Minister of Health in that country said ‘you can’t do it,’ because I can’t guarantee that we’ll allow spectators."
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The latest Middle East boxing event, the WBO junior lightweight title fight won by Jamel Herring over Carl Frampton in Dubai last month, including Donnie Nietes' comeback fight, had only very few limited fans allowed to attend.
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Pacquiao reportedly signed a two fight promotional deal with Premier Boxing Champions. But due to the Covid 19 pandemic which started in March 2020, the senator has been inactive for almost two years now.
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ESPN Knockout reported that Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) has now an ongoing negotiations with Errol Spence Jr. (27-0, 21 KOs) for a pay-per-view title fight that will happen in the summer in the United States. The deal is said to be in the “advanced” stage, according to ESPN Knockout.
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For the last two years countless rumors of Pacquiao fighting that guy and this guy has been circulating in the boxing grapevine. But none of the talked about fights have occurred.
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We could not help but doubt about Pacquiao facing Spence because it’s a very risky fight for the senator and most probably would ask a considerable sum of money to sign a contract.
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The fight between Pacquiao and Spence could generate great enthusiasm in the boxing world, but the economic downfall due to covid-19 may not be able to come up with the monetary compensation for the eight-division world champion.
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Spence has a pay-per-view track record in the last two years against Danny Garcia, Mikey Garcia, and Shawn Porter, but the revenues where not so impressive. Spence was reported to be negotiating with WBA welterweight champion Yordenis Ugas for a July unification fight.
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Pacquiao has not climbed the ring competitively for the last two years since his split decision win over Keith Thurman in July 2019, and it’s interesting that the talks are said to be in the advanced stage.
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The dream of the 33-year-old Crawford to meet the fighting legend has ended. It may also mean that Crawford will not renew his contract with Top Rank when it expires in October.
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In case Pacquiao’s negotiations with Spence falter, the third option may be former four-division world champion Mikey Garcia (40-1, 30 KOs). Garcia has been working hard to come up with a fight against Pacquiao since his defeat to Spence in 2019.
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With his two year inactivity, being overweight, and the losses at the welterweight division, Mikey Garcia may not be the ideal opponent for the legendary Pacquiao. The Pacquiao-Garcia fight may not attract enough interest to earn substantial PPV numbers.
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There will only be a dozen games left in the regular season for the Los Angeles Lakers after their 108-93 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. And Lakers star Anthony Davis said "They're trying to find a connection with me. So, it's like we're starting from zero, which is tough so late in the season."
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Davis scored 17 points in 28 minutes on Saturday and shot just 5-for-19. He returned from a calf strain and Achilles tendinosis in his right leg. Their position on the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference standings was cut to a dangerous 1 1/2 game lead over the Dallas Mavs.
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Also trying to catch up the Lakers, 2 1/2 games behind, are the Portland Trail Blazers, now in the No. 7 spot. Seed Nos. 7-10 will participate in a play-in tournament to earn the final two postseason slots at the end of the regular season.
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The higher-seeded teams in the 7 vs. 8 and 9 vs. 10 matchups will need to win one game before the lower-seeded teams can win two in order to advance.
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Oscar De La Hoya of USA won the 1992 Barcelona Olympic gold medal in the lightweight class. He became professional world champion in the WBO lightweight (1994-1996), WBO super-featherweight (1994-1994), IBF lightweight (1995-1995), WBC light-welterweight (1996-1997), WBC welterweight (1997-1999), WBC welterweight (2000-2000), WBC light-middleweight (2001-2003), WBA light-middleweight (2002-2003), WBO middleweight (2004-2004), and WBC light-middleweight (2006-2007) divisions.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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