WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao is willing to face off against unbeaten Terence Crawford, but only for the right price.
Nick Giongco of the Manila Bulletin quotes Pacquiao's chief adviser, Michael Koncz, as saying that the "Pacman" wants a guarantee of $20 million for a fight against the dangerous Crawford.
"If it's Crawford that Top Rank wants for Manny Pacquiao, then we'll fight Crawford but we want a guarantee of $20 million," said Koncz.
The price is in line with some of Pacquiao's previous pay days, including bouts against Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez. However, it is significantly larger than the reported $4 million that he earned from his last bout, a unanimous decision victory over Jessie Vargas in November.
According to the Manila Bulletin report, the $20-million figure does not include the pay-per-view revenue as well as other sources of income for Pacquiao, including ticket sales.
Crawford presents a difficult challenge for Pacquiao: the unbeaten boxer has won titles in two different weight divisions thanks to his combination of skill and power, and even Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, has compared him to a young Floyd Mayweather.
Nevertheless, Roach himself acknowledged that Crawford was a worthy opponent for the "Pacman," and one that they have to face at some point.
"It's a tough fight, but it's one we have to say yes to, if that's the only thing out there," said Roach in an interview with Fight Hub TV.
"We don't want to be just fighting nobodies and so forth to stay in the game. We still want to be the best," he explained. "If you can't be the best in something, or if you have no dream of winning another world title, you don't need to be in this sport, because you'll get hurt."
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