Terence Crawford has identified the one fight he regrets missing in his decorated career: a welterweight unification bout with Manny Pacquiao. The potential showdown, which was in advanced talks, ultimately fell apart and remains a significant ‘what if’ in modern boxing history.
The contest was targeted after Crawford successfully defended his WBO title against Kell Brook. At the same time, Pacquiao was the WBA champion following his impressive victory over Keith Thurman. A unification match between the undefeated American and the Filipino legend was becoming a real possibility, with financial backers in Abu Dhabi initially prepared to fund the event. But the investment was pulled, and the fight collapsed, sending both men on different paths.
In a recent interview, Crawford confirmed that the eight-division world champion was the only opponent he truly wished he had faced. He stated: “The only fight I felt got away from me is the Pacquiao fight. But all the fighters before me – I don’t ever look at them and think, ‘I want to fight him’. I was just happy to watch them and learn from them.” This admission underscores the unique respect Crawford held for Pacquiao, singling him out among all other potential opponents, past or present.
Following the breakdown of the Crawford negotiations, Pacquiao’s career took a final turn. He was scheduled to fight then-unified champion Errol Spence Jr., but Spence withdrew with a torn retina. Yordenis Ugas stepped in as a late replacement and defeated Pacquiao by unanimous decision, a fight that marked the end of the legend’s career. Crawford, meanwhile, continued his undefeated run, eventually becoming the undisputed welterweight champion. Still, the missed opportunity to test himself against a fighter of Pacquiao’s stature is the one lingering disappointment in an otherwise flawless professional record.
