Undefeated champion Terence Crawford of Nebraska, with his combination of technique and power, poses a dangerous challenge to Manny Pacquiao at this point in the Filipino ring icon's boxing career.
Crawford has put together an immaculate 30-0 win-loss record, with 21 wins coming by knockout. He has won titles at lightweight and junior welterweight, and currently holds all the major belts at the 140-pound division.
Pacquiao, who is coming off a unanimous decision win over Jessie Vargas, is still fighting at an elite level even at 38 years old, but his own trainer has always been reluctant to pit him against the up-and-coming Crawford.
Back in July, after Crawford thoroughly dismantled Viktor Postol in a light-welterweight showdown, Freddie Roach said he isn't "going to accept that fight, or want that fight right away," saying Pacquiao needs at least two "warm-up" bouts before even thinking about taking on Crawford.
Fast-forward to the end of 2016, and Roach is now singing a different tune.
"It's a tough fight," the many-time Trainer of the Year acknowledged in an interview with Fight Hub TV. "But it is one that we have to say yes to, if that's the only thing out there."
Explaining his change in stance, Roach added: "We don't want to be just fighting nobodies and so forth just to stay in the game. We still want to be the best."
"The thing is, if you can't be the best in something, or if you have no dream of winning another world title, then you don't need to be in this sport, because you'll get hurt," he stressed.
Because both fighters are signed to Top Rank, Roach feels that it will not be too difficult for promoter Bob Arum to set up a showdown between the "Pacman" and Crawford, whom Roach has compared to a young Floyd Mayweather Jr.
"He (Crawford) seems like he's getting better," Roach noted. "He can move for 12 rounds, he has good legs, and he's a bit of a puncher. I think he's like a young Mayweather, but he probably has a better punch than Mayweather."
Given Crawford's qualities as a boxer, Roach admits that it will be best if Pacquiao commits himself to a full training camp, instead of duplicating what he did for the Vargas bout – which is to train at nights after his Senate sessions, and make the trip to the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles once the Senate was in recess.
"I'd rather have a good, solid training camp for Crawford, where (Manny is) very focused the whole time, for eight weeks," said Roach.
"But Manny is not like that, and he never has been, either. So we'll see. Crawford is a very, very difficult fight, but Manny is still a very good fighter, I feel," he added.
(For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.)
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