Manny Pacquiao not in Terence Crawford's thoughts ahead of Viktor Postol clash
Tuesday 19 July 2016 14:25, UK
Terence Crawford is setting aside talk of facing Manny Pacquiao as he prepares for a unification clash with Viktor Postol.
WBO world super-lightweight champion Crawford (28-0-KO20) is a clear favourite to add the WBC strap Postol (28-0-KO12) currently holds to his waist when the pair clash in Las Vegas on July 23.
Promoter Bob Arum recently confirmed the legendary Pacquiao will be making a return to professional boxing and even went so far as to name Crawford as a potential, but the Nebraskan has refused to look beyond the task in hand.
When asked for his take on the rumours, 'Bud' replied in an interview reported on ringnews24.com: "I am not thinking about Manny Pacquiao at all. I am focusing on Viktor Postol and that's it - that is all.
"I am not thinking about that fight right now or whether I may be fighting him or if I put on a good show. My main focus is Viktor Postol.
"I just want to fight and be recognised as the best in my division. That's it. So if going through Postol means that's how I get there, then so be it. But from the standpoint of my division, I want to fight all of them, until I move up.
"This is a very big fight for me at a very critical time of my career. This fight is more meaningful than the [Yuriorkis] Gamboa fight, at the moment, because this fight can take me to that next level beyond the level that I'm on right now.
"This fight means a lot and I do look at it as the biggest fight of my career to date."
Crawford has made two defences of the title he won by stopping Thomas Dulorme in the sixth round in April 2015. Prior to that, he made two defences of the WBO lightweight title, which he won against Ricky Burns in March 2014.
