Manny Pacquiao, the only eight-division boxing world champion in history, expects to return to the ring, and he is eyeing two candidates for the bout: four-division world champion Mikey Garcia and current WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford.

"We're leaning towards Mikey Garcia, but we're also talking to Crawford," Pacquiao told Dyan Castillejo of ABS-CBN. "It depends on who I get to face, what's important is I'm ready. We never really got complacent, we've always continuously worked out. We keep on playing basketball aside from boxing. Actually, right after my fight the last time with [Keith] Thurman, I didn't work out boxing, but I kept playing basketball."

Pacquiao's last fight was in July 2019 when he beat undefeated Keith Thurman by split decision at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas to win the WBA super welterweight title. After that, the Filipino legend hung up his gloves. As a result, the WBA stripped his super welterweight title in January 2021.

Pacquiao reportedly planned to fight the UFC's Conor McGregor at the beginning of this year, but it did not happen because McGregor was knocked out by Dustin Poirier at the Etihad Arena on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island in late January.

Lightweight young blood Ryan Garcia has been linked with Pacquiao for an exhibition bout for quite some time, but the 22-year-old's promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, admitted at the end of January that the fight won't happen.

Then what about Garcia and Crawford?

Garcia, 33, has world titles in four weight classes under his name and he is currently in the welterweight division. He should make a good match for Pacquiao in both titles and size.

Crawford is the current WBO welterweight champion and holds belts in three divisions. In February, ESPN ranked him as the world's best active boxer, pound for pound.

Boxing Scene reported that Pacquiao's next fight will happen in May.