Manny Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach wants his prize fighter to fight middleweight kingpin Canelo Alvarez, rather than taking on lightweight king Terrence Crawford or super-featherweight champ Vasyl Lomachenko.
In an interview with ABS-CBN.com, Roach admitted that he's an advocate of a Pacquiao vs. Canelo fight not only because of its financial upside but it will also generate buzz for the sport of boxing.
"I like Alvarez a little bit better [for Pacquiao], but the thing is can I put a cap on how much he gains after the weigh-in? That's the key," Roach said. "The IBF rule [regarding their fight day rehydration clause], 10 pounds, something like that."
"I'd rather have the fight at 147 of course, but we'd have to do a catch weight. I think that's the issue that's keeping that fight from not happening right away. I'm sure that Golden Boy and Top Rank would both love to have that fight, because I think it's a very competitive fight."
Pacquiao, who is coming off a 12-round demolition of Jessie Vargas to win the WBO Welterweight crown in his comeback fight last month, has expressed desire to fight boxing elites, including this era's most exciting fighter Terrence Crawford.
Roach, on the other hand, is a little bit pessimistic on Pacquiao's matchup with Crawford.
He's a dangerous guy. That could be our next fight," Roach said. "If we don't get a rematch with Mayweather and so forth, then that's a fight we may need to take because we still want to be on top of the game. We can't just fight stiffs. We have to fight the best guys out there."
Pacquiao, former 8-division world champion, was elected to the Philippine Senate last May, making the first Senator in boxing's history to fight inside the ring.
