Crawford camp tells Pacquiao: Be man enough

MANILA, Philippines – The camp of undefeated WBC and WBO super lightweight champion Terence Crawford called out Manny Pacquiao to step up and accept their challenge.

As Crawford heads to his fight with John Molina Jr. this weekend, his trainer Brian McIntyre kept talking about a bigger showdown with Manny Pacquiao, whose ditching of Crawford in favor of Timothy Bradley and Jessie Vargas is still fresh the cornerman's mind.

“We keep hearing about a future fight with Manny Pacquiao but there doesn’t seem to be much interest from his team, especially since Freddie Roach got a good look at Terence from [Viktor] Postol’s corner,” said McIntyre.

The cornerman was referring to Crawford’s dominant win over Viktor Postol – whom Roach trains and who also served as a sparring partner for Pacquiao – early this year.

But Pacquiao instead ended up taking on Jessie Vargas for the WBO welterweight championship in November.

There has since been clamor for a clash between Pacquiao and Crawford, one of Top Rank’s rising stars. Roach, however, isn’t keen on the fight.

“What they need to do – [Pacquiao’s adviser Michael] Koncz, Roach and Manny – is to hold hands and pray and ask for divine intervention directing them to a fight with Terence,” McIntyre added.

The trainer said Pacquiao should give the young Crawford the same chance that Oscar Dela Hoya gave the Filipino icon in 2008.

“Oscar was man enough to accept Manny’s challenge. It’s part of the cycle of life in boxing. Handing off the torch to the successor.  Manny should be man enough to do the same thing,” McIntyre argued.

He’s also aware that weight is not an issue for Pacquiao, thus making a fight with Crawford very possible.

“There is no excuse. Manny and Freddie say Manny walks around at 140 [pounds].  Both are world champions. Both are Top-10 pound for pound fighters. It’s a natural. But it takes two to make a fight,” said McIntyre.