Mas tiwala sa pagkakataong ito si World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Terrence “Bud” Crawford na malaki ang posibilidad na makatapat nito si eight-division world titlist Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao matapos ng ilang taong paghihintay.
Kinakailangan lang munang maghintay ng ilang buwan ng American unbeaten welterweight upang mapinalisa ang inaasam na laban ng kapwa kampeon ng 147-lbs na may hawak ng World Boxing Association (WBA) belt, dahil na rin sa nangangapang ekonomiya.
“We’ve been in contact with Bob (Arum), and Manny and them,” saad ni Crawford sa panayam dito ng “The Ak And Barak Show,” na napapakinggan sa DAZN at SiriusXM. “They want the fight. We want the fight. So basically, we’re trying to figure out the money situation. You know, with this pandemic going on right now, it’s kinda hard to put on a big fight and no audience, and not knowing how you’re gonna get your return back. So, you know, we’ve gotta figure out all the details with that first before we can do that.”
Inihayag din ni Top Rank owner Arum sa boxingscene.com na naghahanap na ito ng investors sa iba’t ibang panig ng mundo na interesadong tustusan ang Pacquiao-Crawford fight. Subalit, hindi gaanong umusad ang mga pakikipag-ugnayan sa iba dahil na rin sa umiiral na problema sa Covid-19.
Nais ni Crawford (36-0, 27KOs) na hindi madehado sa magiging laban nila ni Pacquiao sakaling walang mga live audience na manonood, ito ang pangunahing iniisip ng bawat panig dahil hindi pa malaman kung kikita ang mangyayaring salpukan nila dahil sa nagaganap na pandemya.
“He can’t even fight right now, you know, so it’s not just me. If that fight presents itself, it’s gonna be more money than I ever made in my career to date, probably. You know, so I think that fight can get made, worked out however it will be. You know, but at the same time, you know, he’s dealing with the same issues that I’m dealing with. Every top fighter is dealing with the same issue. You know, it’s not like I’m the only one dealing with this,” eksplika ni Crawford.
Marami mang mga boksingerong puwedeng makalaban ni Crawford kabilang na si dating IBF titlist Kell Brook (39-2, 27KOs) ng England, pinangangamnbahan pa rin nito kung sa paanong paraan kikita ang bawat boksingerong lalaban.
“You know, when you look at all these other fighters and who they gonna fight, how they gonna get paid, you know, that’s the big dilemma right now. The fighters in England and overseas, you know, they can’t come over here to fight, so they stuck over there. So, what about them? You know? So, it’s all messed up right now.”