Either Chris Algieri’s (20-0, 8KOs) upset win over Ruslan Provodnikov has him supremely confident or the young man is attempting to drum up buzz for a PPV bout few find intriguing.
But like him or not, credit Algieri for his bravado.
A massive underdog, Algieri appears anything but awed by his popular opponent and the big stage.
Is all of the talk of Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao in 2015 premature?
“They did the same thing with the Ruslan fight. They talked about Ruslan’s next fight being Manny Pacquiao,” Algieri said recently. “I gave the answer ‘sure, after I beat him he can go fight Manny Pacquiao.’ These guys all have losses, they can go fight each other after I beat them anyway.”
“Mayweather and Pacquiao can go fight after I beat Pacquiao – but after I beat Pacquiao he’s going to have to fight me again anyway [because of the rematch clause],” Algieri told BoxingScene.com.
Are Manny Pacquiao and hall of fame trainer overlooking Chris Algieri?
Keep in mind, Pacquiao himself was an unsuspecting, B-side, underdog and a virtual unknown when he burst into prominence in 2001 by KOing then- red hot IBF Super Bantamweight Champion Lehlo Ledwaba.
The bout was Manny’s first in the U.S. and HBO debut, and Ledwaba was a perennial top 10 or 15 pound-for-pound fighter.
Taking the fight on only 2 weeks notice, Pacquiao dominated from the start, bloodying Ledwaba’s nose in the opening round. He floored the champion in Round 2 and repeatedly wobbled his foe in Rounds 4 and 5. The finish came in Round 6 with Ledwaba on his back for several minutes following the knockout.
Will Chris Algieri be Manny Pacquiao’s big surprise?
After all, the former’s win over Provodnikov makes him a more established opponent than Pacquiao was for Ledwaba.
Mayweather vs Pacquiao will finally happen but, by then, Algieri insists Pacquiao will have another notch – or two – in the ‘L’ column.
