By Radio Rahim

Trainer Freddie Roach openly admits that he's not the biggest fan of having Manny Pacquiao take on Terence Crawford.

Crawford (29-0, 20KOs), the current WBO/WBC junior welterweight champion, is viewed by most experts - including Roach - as a big threat to Pacquiao.

Roach has already experienced just how talented Crawford really is. He trained Viktor Postol for his fight with Crawford in July. On the paper the fight was perceived to be a competitive contest, but Crawford dominated the fight in one-sided fashion.

Roach and Pacquiao had the opportunity to face Crawford this past Saturday night at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas - but they passed on him and decided to fight WBO welterweight champion Jessie Vargas. They also had the opportunity to fight Crawford in April, but he was passed over for a trilogy fight with Timothy Bradley.

But now Pacquiao is running out of pay-per-view opponents. Unless Pacquiao is able to secure a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr., then Crawford might become the obvious choice for his next fight. Top Rank's CEO, Bob Arum, is very interested in matching Pacquiao and Crawford in the near future.

Roach fears the contest will play out to be a lackluster encounter, with Crawford sticking and moving like he did against Postol. He says the match-up could become a mirror image of Pacquiao's fight with Mayweather.

"I do think it could be like the Manny and Floyd fight, because Crawford is more of a counter-puncher and a boxer and so forth, and Manny likes it more when people come to him. It could be a difficult fight. With Manny's experience he does know how to cut the ring off.," Roach said.

"That might be in the future, because I know Bob wants that fight. Its been offered to use before and then this fight came about. Its something we have to consider and something we have to look at and we have to get in really good shape to beat this guy."

Roach has yet to discuss the Crawford fight with Pacquiao.

"We've never really talked about the Crawford fight. If we can't get Mayweather, that might be the second best thing out there, maybe. I know Crawford is a good fighter and it is a tough fight, and it's a fight that we have to fight - because we are still considered to be at that level. I don't want Manny fighting nobodies. That's not why we're here. We want to be the best of the best. If Crawford is next then Crawford is next. That fight can happen," Roach said.