The two fighters shared the ring in 2017 when the Filipino boxing icon lost his WBO world welterweight title in a controversial unanimous decision loss at Horn s hometown in Brisbane, Australia.
Horn s second title defense was against Terence Crawford in June 2018, when the Australian got beaten to a pulp en route to a ninth-round technical knockout loss.
Having fought Pacquiao and Crawford, Horn is convinced that the unbeaten American is the superior prizefighter between the two.
“Pacquiao is intense but Crawford s a smart dude. If Pacquiao was to rush at him like he would probably do to me, Crawford could possibly outbox him,” Horn told Fight Hub TV.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum is eyeing a Pacquiao-Crawford unification bout in November. Crawford also previously stated his desire for a showdown with Pacman.
“It s a very interesting fight because styles do make fights and Crawford knows he is going to come at him, he is going to be in with boxing skills but it s a hard one to answer,” he said. “I think Crawford is probably the best in the welterweight division at the moment.”
The Filipino eight-division champion has bounced back since that contested loss to Horn in 2017.
He won his next three fights in convincing fashion then grabbed the WBA world welterweight title along the way, making him the oldest welterweight champion in history and the only boxer to hold world titles in four separate decades.
Even though Pacquiao keeps making history, Horn iterated that Crawford is simply the superior fighter given his wits and boxing skills.
“It s hard for people to listen and believe because I fought him and got beaten by him, so they might say he s just saying that because he lost,” said Horn.
“He is a very talented fighter and boxer and he s smart in there as well. He is not a dumb fighter, he knows what to do and that s what makes him a great fighter.”
Horn (20-2-1, 13Kos) is slated to duke it out with unbeaten prospect Tim Tszyu (15-0, 11KOs) on August 26 at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, Australia.