Chris Algieri has been a promoter?s dream since the announcement late in the summer of his fight Saturday night against Manny Pacquiao.
The unbeaten Algieri essentially carried the promotion of their HBO Pay-Per-View main event. Charismatic, educated and energetic, the Huntington, N.Y., native told his abnormal boxing story far and wide ? everywhere from ESPN to Fox?s “Good Day New York.”
Raised in a middle-class, Long Island neighborhood, where he still resides in a basement apartment in his parents? home, Algieri owns a bachelor?s degree in health science from Stony Brook University and a master?s degree in clinical nutrition from New York Institute of Technology. The former kickboxing champion intends to attend medical school once his boxing career ends.
Algieri also got off the canvas twice in the first round of his last fight and overcame a severely swollen right eye to beat heavily favored Russian Ruslan Provodnikov by split-decision. He won the WBO junior welterweight title from Provodnikov (23-3, 16 KOs) and went from making $15,000 for fights on ESPN2 to securing a $1.4 million purse for facing Pacquiao.
From a marketing standpoint, virtually everyone agrees Algieri (20-0, 8 KOs) is a perfect opponent for Pacquiao (56-5-2, 38 KOs), who?ll defend his WBO welterweight title in Macau, China (9 p.m.; $69.95 in HD). Whether Algieri actually has any shot at upsetting the Filipino superstar, well, that?s been a cause for great debate.
Confidence clearly isn?t an issue.
“I think I?m one of the best fighters in the world,” Algieri, 30, said. “This is my chance to prove it.”
There?s no doubt Algieri displayed remarkable resolve against the rugged Provodnikov, but his win wasn?t exactly decisive.
He won his previous fight against Emanuel Taylor (18-3, 12 KOs) much more definitively. That Feb. 14 victory seemed even more impressive once Taylor was so competitive in a unanimous-decision defeat to Adrien Broner (29-1, 22 KOs) on Sept. 6.
But for all his athleticism, boxing skill and intelligence, Algieri has very little power. It?s difficult to envision Algieri keeping Pacquiao off of him because Pacquiao probably won?t be all that worried about Algieri?s ability to hurt him.
Algieri is 3 1/2 inches taller than Pacquiao, but Pacquiao has torn through opponents with similar size advantages (Oscar De La Hoya, Antonio Margarito). Freddie Roach, Pacquiao?s provocative trainer, predicted his fighter will annihilate Algieri.
Among other things, Roach has said Pacquiao?s sparring partners are better than Algieri, that Algieri “is in over his head,” and that Pacquiao will knock out Algieri in the first round. Algieri dismissed Roach?s remarks as psychological ploys that won?t work.
That won?t stop Roach, who also trains Provodnikov, from pushing Pacquiao to win this bout by knockout. An increasingly passive Pacquiao, 35, hasn?t recorded a knockout since he stopped Puerto Rican icon Miguel Cotto in the 12th round five years ago.
A lack of knockouts and appealing opponents recently have hurt Pacquiao?s pay-per-view numbers. He needs to dominate and knock out an opponent perceived to be an inferior fighter, something Algieri vows won?t happen.
“We know Manny is a living legend and a Hall of Famer for sure,” Algieri said. “He?s one of the greatest fighters that has ever lived. ? But I have the talent and the tools to win this fight. I just have to go out there and perform.”
