Brian McIntyre reveals promised Manny Pacquiao fight never happened

Terence Crawford's trainer, Brian McIntyre, has revealed that a fight against Manny Pacquiao was promised to the former pound-for-pound star on multiple occasions. The discussions reportedly began following Crawford's 2014 victory over Yuriorkis Gamboa.

McIntyre stated that after the win against Gamboa, the camp was repeatedly told a match with the Filipino legend would occur. Instead of the Pacquiao bout, Crawford continued competing at the 140lb weight class. Despite various indications from Bob Arum and Todd DuBoef that negotiations were active, McIntyre noted that other individuals involved claimed no real discussions were taking place.

Conflicting information was a central issue during the period. McIntyre mentioned that Arum provided different accounts of the ongoing negotiations, yet the fight never reached the ring. The trainer expressed uncertainty regarding why the opportunity was ultimately denied to the Crawford camp.

Crawford, who became the only post-war fighter to claim undisputed titles in three different weight divisions, has identified Pacquiao as the one opponent he wanted to face before his retirement. The American fighter has expressed confidence that he would have secured a knockout victory in such a contest.

Pacquiao has also indicated an interest in the matchup. However, the eight-division world champion suggested that Bob Arum may have acted to protect Crawford by preventing the fight from being scheduled.