Manny Pacquiao wants Terence Crawford as next fight in £30m deal as 42-year-old plans for ring comeback

MANNY PACQUIAO wants to challenge Terence Crawford to a fight that would net him £30million.

The Filipino icon has not boxed since July 2019 with his comeback to the ring delayed due the coronavirus pandemic.

Manny Pacquiao wants to challenge Terence Crawford in a £30million dealCredit: AP:Associated Press

Terence Crawford was in line to fight Manny Pacquiao in 2020Credit: Getty Images – Getty

But he will waste no time upon his return with easy fights, as he called to fight unbeaten WBO welterweight champion Crawford.

And Pacquiao has already laid out his demands to his former promoter Bob Arum, who currently works with Crawford.

He told Daily Tribune: “I’d like to fight somebody who has a title.

“We told Bob I get $40million (£32m) and Crawford gets $10 million (£7m).

“I will fight anybody. You know me, I don’t back away from any challenge. Bring ’em on.”

SunSport revealed in December that Arum had a deal in place for Crawford to fight Pacquiao in Qatar.

But Covid-19 restrictions forced the mega-money fight to be shelved.

Crawford, 33, instead beat Brit Kell Brook, 34, before the end of the year but Arum is hopeful he could now face Pacquiao, 42, or Shawn Porter, 33.

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He said on Fighthype: “Shawn’s father, Kenny, came to see us, and we had preliminary discussions, and let’s see if it can happen.

“There’s also Manny Pacquiao, who has said that he wants to fight Terence Crawford.

“Let’s see if that can happen, but as far as Crawford is concerned, he’s in a good position.”

Pacquiao is yet to return having won the WBA welterweight title against Keith Thurman, 32, two years ago.

His inactivity even saw him stripped of the belt, with Cuban Yordenis Ugas, 34, elevated to champion.

Manny Pacquiao was stripped of his WBA beltCredit: Getty Images – Getty

PacMan was in line to welcome UFC superstar Conor McGregor, 32, back to the ring, where the Irishman lost to Floyd Mayweather, 43, in 2017.

But after he was knocked out by Dustin Poirier, 32, in their rematch, plans for a boxing match have been scrapped, with McGregor instead focusing on a trilogy fight with the US star.

Pacquiao was then linked with a fight against 22-year-old lightweight sensation Ryan Garcia.

But talks with Garcia are yet to progress, leaving PacMan exploring his options.

Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk