Not even boxing’s eight-division king could stay untouched by the buzz around Canelo vs. Crawford. Manny Pacquiao has landed in LA. The boxing legend is back in the United States for the much-anticipated and much-debated fight against welterweight titleholder Mario Barrios. Sports reporter Elie Seckbach was one of the few reporters who were at the airport as the former champion arrived, closely followed by his wife and the rest of the team and staff.

Though disrupted by the slew of guests who had lined up to meet and greet Pacquiao, Seckbach managed to get the PacMan’s response on the mega showdown in September. Given how Canelo‘s recent title fight against William Scull unfolded and the fact that Terence Crawford will move up two divisions for the face-off, many appear uncertain which way the fight will tilt. Especially after the Riyadh face-off, doubts over Canelo’s physical superiority also diminished.

Manny Pacquiao: Canelo just notched another one

First, Elie Seckbach asked, “Manny, what do you think really quick about Crawford Canelo?” But the former world champion was busy, checking as family members and the team boarded the waiting vehicles. So another reporter pitched in, “Manny, what do you think about Canelo versus Crawford? Crawford is moving like 20 pounds and everything.” The poser caught Pacquiao’s attention. Looking at the reporter, the Filipino legend raised his thumbs and said, “Good, good for Canelo.” And with that, he once again got busy with the travel arrangements. However, that didn’t deter the reporter from probing further. They asked, “Manny, any advice on Crawford moving up in weight? You did it so many times. Any advice for Crawford moving up in weight? You did it so many times, and you were successful. What do you tell Crawford? Any advice?”

Though he may have been out of the ring, it didn’t take much time before Manny Pacquiao pulled out a few takeaways from his vast experience. “My advice to him is just to focus on speed and the speed and style.” The reporter tried checking whether Terence Crawford should box Canelo; however, the former champion was simply too busy to respond this time.

But Crawford isn’t far behind 

Perhaps Manny Pacquiao opted for a safer bet. Canelo Alvarez is the super middleweight king. Crawford is entering his den to claim the crown. A veteran of 67 battles, the Mexican superstar has fought some of the biggest and toughest in the sport. He won’t stand by and let Crawford steal his shot at boxing greatness. But is it as easy as it looks?

It appears the recent William Scull fight may have caused some changes in the opinions that until now heavily favored Canelo. Tim Bradley, who incidentally fought a trilogy with Manny Pacquiao, seems to differ with his former opponent. Bradley was rather ‘biased.’ Slamming Canelo for the way he fought Scull, the former two-division champion said, “Canelo couldn’t catch that chicken he was up against. How the hell do you think he’s going to catch Crawford, one of the best and most skillful fighters in the game?”

There are still four more months to go. As the fight nears, fans should watch out as more such diverse viewpoints will emerge.

Who do you agree with, Manny Pacquiao or Tim Bradley?