The lone knock on Terence Crawford's boxing career is that he hasn't faced the upper echelon of the welterweight division. The reason isn't due to Crawford's reluctance. It's because boxing politics routinely get in the way of getting the best to fight the best.
Heading into Saturday's WBO welterweight title defense against former 147-pound champion Kell Brook (37-2, 29 KOs), the questions keep coming regarding when Crawford will secure a big fight. If the former undisputed champion can dispatch of Brook, Crawford has a wish of who he'd like to face before his boxing career is over.
"If I could fight all the fighters, you know, and then walk away, Pacquiao would be the number one," Crawford answered during "Relentless: Terence Crawford," which premiered Sunday night on ESPN. "Spence, he'll be right after that. Danny Garcia. Keith Thurman. And that's it."
Talks of a Crawford-Pacquiao have been brought up for years as Top Rank promoted both. Crawford has placed the blame on Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) for the fight never coming to fruition. Rumored discussions reportedly took place in 2020 for a fight to occur in Saudi Arabia but fell apart due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some people want to see Crawford battle unified titlist Errol Spence Jr. (26-0, 21 KOs), who faces Garcia on Dec. 5. Both Crawford and Spence have expressed they want it to happen, and it's more of their promotional teams that need to finalize it.
But what if Crawford (36-0, 27 KOs) never gets to take on any of those names mentioned above? Could he be content with his current resume?
"I feel like I'm able to retire whenever I want, truthfully," Crawford said. "I feel like I've done enough to be in the Hall of Fame right now, today. When I look at fighters that's in the Hall of Fame, I say, 'Man, I accomplished way more than them.' So, I think in my head, 'I know for a fact if I retire, I'm gonna be in the Hall of Fame.' [Champion in] three different weight classes. Undisputed [in the junior welterweight division]. 'Fighter of the Year.' ESPY award-winner. Everything that I have accomplished in the sport of boxing.
"So, deep down in my heart, I know, you know, where I'm heading. I'm not ashamed if I walked away from the sport of boxing because I'll walk away with my head high."