Arum continues Crawford-Pacquiao fight speculation

While Top Rank Boxing promoter Bob Arum will be at the forefront of the sport resuming in the United States starting next week, his continual theorizing of a possible mega-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Terence Crawford remains of interest.

Arum appeared on an IFL TV/podcast show Tuesday covering many subjects and eventually, discussing, again, his long proposed Crawford – Pacquiao possible battle for two of the 147 lb. titles:

“Through our friends at MTK (Global), we are in serious talks with Bahrain (Saudi Arabia) for doing major fights there with the sheik’s company that’s involved in boxing….I think with Bahrain we have a good shot to get it done,” Arum told the show.

Arum would like to put on bigger fights, with fans present, late this year and the Middle East, as well as Australia, seem to be possible destinations.

However, as we have written previously, all of this is speculative and theoretical, because while Arum is the promoter for the WBO Welterweight champ Crawford, he has no promotional deal currently for Pacquiao.

Pacquiao, reportedly still has at least one fight remaining on his multi-fight deal with Premier Boxing Champions and their boss, Al Haymon. And, his last two fights have been Pay-per-views through PBC.

The last one having been 11 months ago in Las Vegas, when the future Hall of Famer Pacquiao defied his 41 year old age and handed unbeaten WBA Welterweight champion, Keith Thurman, his first pro loss via a 12-round split decision.

Crawford, with the lesser WBO belt, has been on the outside looking in for the welterweight division for at least two yeasrs fighting average to subpar competition in two 2019 fights. This was while Haymon’s PBC Fighters: Pacquiao, Thurman, Errol Spence and Shawn Porter increased their visibility, popularity and leverage while fighting each other, etc. on Pay-per-view.

Also, Arum on speaking about a hypothetical Pacquiao-Crawford fight is nothing new, as we have written, previously. It’s more of a “hope” on his part that he can get a deal done.

Further, It is believed that PBC wants have Spence, who is the WBC, and IBF welterweight champ, eventually fight Pacquiao later this year or early next year.

Spence is trying to make it back after he suffered a broken jaw and concussion in a one-car crash in Dallas, Texas, last October. And, he is expected to resume his boxing career later this summer. It has been widely reported but not yet officially announced he will fight for the third straight time on pay-per-view and this time against welterweight contender and PBC fighter, Danny Garcia.

We also have written previously and discussed on our Big Fight Weekend podcast, that Pacquiao may take a  fight with UFC Superstar, Conor McGregor, in a boxing match later this year:

Part of the traction on that juicy possibility was from Pacquiao signing with McGregor’s Los Angeles based-P.R. agency earlier this year before the boxing was shut down due to the Coronavirus in March.

No matter what Arum is saying or offering, he no longer has the promotional leverage that he once did as Pacquiao’s former long time promoter and have him fight Crawford or else.

For now, it’s trying to beg and work with Pacquiao and PBC, if they’re even interested, and having him fight Crawford in a cross promotion with them not unlike. the last Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder fight in February that was co-promoted by both.