Freddie Roach admits that Terence Crawford is going to be ?a dangerous fight? for Manny Pacquiao this year as the Hall of Fame trainer prefers Mikey Garcia for the Filipino eight-division titleholder for economic reasons.
Both are tough fights for Pacquiao, Roach told the Bulletin during a break in training with Pacquiao, who is getting ready to defend his World Boxing Organizaton welterweight crown against Jeff Horn on July 2 in Brisbane, Australia.
But Roach insists that Garcia is a wise choice as he has a large following ? especially in Southern California?owing to his deep Mexican lineage.
Crawford, Roach says, doesn?t have the magnetism and appeal that the undefeated Garcia has, stressing that Crawford is only big in his native Omaha in Nebraska.
Still, Crawford is not being ruled out by Roach as an opponent provided that he keeps on winning so he can morph into a hot ticket and everyone will pay to see him face Pacquiao.
Somebody from the camp of Garcia (36-0 wit 30 KOs), Roach narrates, went to see him at the Wild Card Boxing Club some weeks back and offered Garcia as a possible foe.
Pacquiao is being groomed to fight again in November by Top Rank head Bob Arum, who fancies Crawford as a prime candidate.
However, everything largely depends on the outcome of Pacquiao?s first defense of the WBO 147-lb title against Horn, an unbeaten but unknown puncher.
If Pacquiao survives Horn, Roach says he will bat for the 29-year-old Garcia.
?If I can have my way, I?d go for Garcia,? says Roach.
?But we still have a fight ahead so we?ll take care of this first,? he added.
