Manny Pacquiao vs. Chris Algieri
When it comes to Manny Pacquiao the only fight that fans really care about is a potential showdown with pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather. That fight still seems like a pipe dream so in the meantime Pacquiao will be taking on Chris Algieri. Pacquiao is coming off of a redemption win against Timothy Bradley will Algieri earned this fight by squeaking passed Ruslan Provodnikov with one eye swollen shut. The two pugilists will be battling it out for Pacquiao's WBO welterweight title but the fight will actually be taking place at a catchweight of 144 pounds.
 |
| Pacquiao is 2-0 following back to back losses |
Pacquiao made a name for himself during his historic rise to the upper echelon of the sport by being a lightning fast southpaw with a ton of power. Some of that power seems to have dissipated and Pacquiao hasn't scored a stoppage since his 2009 fight against Miguel Cotto. While some of the power has faded the speed and whirlwind of motion is still there. Pacquiao has an awkward style and throws punches from every conceivable angle. He has a good jab and a nice right hook but the real power from Pacquiao comes in his left hand and he throws a beautiful straight left. For Pacquiao offense is his defense. He has never been a great defensive fighter and will often just put the earmuffs on. Algieri is a skilled offensive fighter but he may not have enough power to earn Pacquiao's respect.
When it comes to career resumes it is hard to find one better than Pacquiao's. Over the course of his historic career he has compiled a record of 56-5-2 with a solid 38 knockouts and has always fought the best. Pacquiao has wins over some legendary names such as Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Cotto and there are even more than that. At this point in his career his legacy is already set but he would bring back some buzz if he were able to score the knockout against Algieri.
 |
| Algieri had to get off the canvas twice to win |
Algieri has shown himself to be a fighter with a tremendous amount of heart. In his biggest fight to date against Provodnikov, Algieri was dropped twice in the first round but never gave up. He also had to fight that entire bout with only one eye. Algieri was able to do that because he is a very slick fighter who loves to stick and move constantly. Algieri is an orthodox fighter and will be the much taller man on Saturday night. He has a very nice jab and a pretty solid left hook but his movement and ring intelligence are his best weapons.
Comparing the resumes of Algieri and Pacquiao doesn't even seem fair. Algieri has never fought anyone as good as Pacquiao and he has never fought anyone as good as any recent Pacquiao opponent. Algieri does have a perfect career record of 20-0 but he only has 8 knockouts and he has only had two high level fights, the one against Provodnikov and one against Emmanuel Taylor. For Algieri to win this fight he will need to box perfectly and maybe even pray for a little extra power.
The only way this fight will be competitive at all is if Algieri can fight perfectly. Pacquiao has the faster hands and much more power and should be able to walk in on Algieri without worrying too much. Algieri will need to use his jab very well to keep Pacquiao at the end of his punches and not let him get inside. However this fight could very well be one-sided and if that happens the only interest will come from whether or not Pacquiao can score the knockout.
PREDICTION: Chris Algieri has a ton of heart and this fight won't end with him on the canvas but it won't end with him winning either. Manny Pacquiao is just at a different level than Algieri and he will show why come Saturday night. Pacquiao won't knock Algieri out for the count but he will punish him enough to score the 10th round stoppage.
Comments
Post a Comment