The head of Manny Pacquiao’s promotional company is throwing some cold water on reports about a fight with Terence Crawford.
On Tuesday, Mike Coppinger reported that Top Rank told ESPN and pay-per-view distributor “In Demand” that they were looking to do a fight on June 5 between Pacquiao and Crawford. According to Coppinger, the fight would have to take place in Abu Dhabi. Coppinger reported that Pacquiao was “in discussions” about the fight.
However, MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons called the report “nonsense.”
“[This is] Bob Arum and Mike Koncz nonsense,” Gibbons told the Inquirer. “I do not believe that is happening.”
Pacquiao fought for Arum’s Top Rank for several years but left the company in 2017. Pac-Man later created MP Promotions. Then last year he briefly joined Audie Attar’s Paradigm Sports Management, though he is no longer under contract with them.
Coppinger’s information may have come directly from Top Rank, which represents Crawford. The report never said Pacquiao has agreed to the fight.
In February, Pacquiao said he was targeting a comeback. He also shared how much money he told Arum he wanted to fight Crawford.
