Floyd Mayweather believes that Terence Crawford is currently the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world.
According to ESPN's latest rankings, the former unified junior welterweight world champion is placed at No.3, just behind middleweight star Gennady Golovkin and two-weight world titleholder Vasiliy Lomachenko.
Ukrainian junior lightweight Lomachenko claimed top spot after seeing off the previously undefeated Guillermo Rigondeaux earlier this month, despite the Cuban stepping up two weight classes for the meeting.
Crawford, 29, who unified all-four major junior welterweight belts before vacating and announcing he was going up in weight, has earned a lot of plaudits from fans and pundits for his quick movement and excellent technique. Mayweather believes Crawford to be most deserving of the accolade of world's best.
"The pound-for-pound top fighter in boxing right now is Terence Crawford," Mayweather told FightHype.com.
A former pound-for-pound champ himself, retired fighter-turned-promoter Mayweather also outlined his desire to work with the Crawford, who is unbeaten from his 32 fights.
"He doesn't have to be under my company to give a guy props. I'm not like that. If he's a free agent, I would love to work with him, if he's free.
"I know what I can do to take him to that next level," he added. "He's a motherf---r.. He reminds me of a young Floyd Mayweather.
"He can fight his a-- off. That's what I like about him."