Pacquiao’s Bold Take: Crawford Beats Mayweather

The rematch nearly a decade in the making is finally set. Manny Pacquiao will get his long-awaited shot at redemption against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on September 19 at the iconic Sphere in Las Vegas, streaming globally on Netflix. For Pacquiao, this isn’t just another fight it’s unfinished business.

Back in 2015, Pacquiao and Mayweather delivered one of the biggest events in boxing history. But inside the ring, it was Mayweather who controlled the action, earning a unanimous decision and preserving his undefeated record. Now, at 47, Pacquiao believes the sequel carries even more weight.

“This is the most important fight of my career,” Pacquiao has indicated in recent media appearances a bold statement for a fighter whose résumé already includes world titles across eight divisions.

While preparing for his rematch, Pacquiao didn’t shy away from fantasy matchmaking and his most intriguing take involved Terence Crawford. Speaking on Inside The Ring on DAZN, Pacquiao said he believes Crawford would have defeated Mayweather if both fought in their primes. “I think Crawford beats Mayweather… He has the advantage as a southpaw. He mastered it,” Pacquiao said.

Crawford’s ability to seamlessly switch stances and control range has made him one of the most technically complete fighters of his era and in Pacquiao’s eyes, that versatility could have been the key to solving Mayweather’s defensive brilliance.

Despite the hypothetical debate, Crawford himself has consistently shown respect toward Mayweather. Following his historic win over Canelo Alvarez to become undisputed at super middleweight, Crawford dismissed comparisons between the two. “That’s the GOAT… He paved the way for me,” Crawford said.

Both fighters dominated separate eras. Mayweather retired in 2017 at 50-0 after defeating Conor McGregor, while Crawford’s rise to welterweight stardom began shortly after, capturing a title in 2018. The timing simply never aligned.