WBO makes Crawford mandatory challenger to Jeff Horn News

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WBO makes Crawford mandatory challenger to Jeff Horn

By Daily Sports on October 28, 2017

Terence Crawford (32-0, 23 KOs) has vacated his WBO light welterweight title, and he’s now been made the mandatory challenger to WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn (17-0-1, 11 KOs), by the boxing organisation.

Horn, 29, will be allowed to take a voluntary defense against fringe contender Gary Corcoran on December 13 in Brisbane, Australia. After that fight, Horn, if he’s victorious against Corcoran, he’ll have 90 days to defend his title against Crawford, 30.

“Crawford is mandatory contender for Jeff Horn. Fight will have to be arranged within 90 days after Horn next optional defence,” the WBO’s social media site said.

Crawford moving up in weight to take the No.1 spot in the WBO’s rankings at 147 pushes superstar Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao out of the No.1 spot. Pacquiao had intended on coming back in 2018 to fight WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn in a rematch so that he could potentially avenge his 12 round unanimous decision loss earlier this year on July 1 in Brisbane, Australia.

Pacquiao had the chance to fight Horn in a rematch in November or December of this year, but he didn’t have the time to get away from his senatorial job in the Philippines.

Should Pacquiao wants to win back his WBO welterweight title, he’ll need to fight the winner of the Horn vs. Crawford fight.

If Crawford beats Horn, it will put Pacquiao in the position where he’ll need to fight him if he wants to get back his WBO strap. That would make Crawford and Top Rank boss Bob Arum very happy indeed. Arum has wanted to put together a fight between Crawford and Pacquiao for some time now.

Crawford needs a big win over a name guy like Pacquiao to become Top Rank’s next pay-per-view attraction.

•Photo shows Terence Crawford.

Source Daily Sports

Posted October 28, 2017