MANILA, Philippines – Top Rank head honcho Bob Arum is upbeat on the possibility of a unification fight between WBA welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and WBO titlist Terrence Crawford.
But with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the showdown, according to Arum, would most likely happen next year.
"I don't think [Pacquiao-Crawford] is going to be possible this year, maybe next year," Arum told Steve Kim of ESPN.
Bob Arum is optimistic Pacquiao and Crawford will fight in 2021 ????
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) August 28, 2020
(via @StevESPNKim) pic.twitter.com/HUNhcekLTF
A clash between Pacquiao and Crawford had been proposed by Arum when both fighters were still under Top Rank.
But the fighting senator didn't express interest then.
Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) has since left Top Rank and has fought his last couple of bouts under Premier Boxing Champions.
In 2019, Pacquiao defeated Adrien Broner and Keith Thurman.
For his part, Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) last fought in December 2019, stopping Egidijus Kavaliauskas in the ninth round.