MANILA, Philippines — Boxing promoter Bob Arum said Filipino champion Manny Pacquiao will try to get reigning junior welterweight champion Terence Crawford if Floyd Mayweather Jr. is unavailable for a rematch.
Arum earlier said there’s a 75-percent chance that a second face-off between Pacquiao and Mayweather could be worked out.
But he acknowledged that he has yet to talk to Mayweather’s camp.
“I have not spoken to Mayweather, not with [Mayweather's adviser] Al Haymon. It's just my opinion [the rematch has a 75-percent chance of happening], which is as valid as [the opinion of] anyone else," said Arum in Boxing Scene.
Pacquiao and Mayweather took home millions of dollars in last year's highly anticipated super fight, which took five years to put together.
But the bout failed to live up to the hype, with Mayweather dancing his way to a unanimous decision win. The American boxer fought one last time against Andre Berto before calling it quits in 2015.
Arum said that if they fail to secure a rematch, then they will set up Pacquiao against Crawford for next year.
"Obviously if Mayweather decides to come out of retirement that would be the fight for Manny,” said Arum. “But if not, Crawford would be the choice.”
But the rising American star will have to take care of business first before squaring off against Pacquiao, said the promoter.
Crawford will defend his WBO, WBC and Ring Magazine junior welterweight titles against John Molina Jr. on December.
"Crawford has a very tough fight with Molina. If he wins that fight, then we would look at Manny's options for 2017," Arum said.
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